Cross River moves to domestication national HIVST and PrEP communication strategy
The Cross River State Agency for the Control of AIDS (CR-SACA) has organised a 5-day training workshop for Media Practitioners on the domestication of national HIV Self Testing and Pre Exposure Profilaxes (PrEP) strategy.
The Director General of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Gambo Aliyu while declaring open the workshop open in Calabar commended the State for the move.
Aliyu, who was represented by the South South Coordinator of NACA, Dr Uduak Daniel, said the domestication of national HIVST and PrEP communication strategy would create a policy framework on media engagement.
“This is inline with the vision of NACA to have a strategic media engagement.
“We needed to have a crop of competent media practitioners who could also serve as HIV advocates to promote programs and policies like covid and other prevalent diseases.
“We are here to create a forum where our media practitiiners can use Cross River as the first state in the South South to domesticate what we have in mind, ” he said.
The Director General added that Cross River had taken the lead as the first state in the South South to make the move.
“This is quite commendable and I hope other states in the zone should follow the example laid by Cross River, ” he said.
Dr Etcheri-Ella Ansa, Director General of the State Agency on Control of AIDS (SACA) said the training was designed to equip reporters with knowledge and skills to effectively catalyze behavioural and social change through their reportage.
“To domesticate the national HIVST and PrEP communication strategy and to develop creative briefs and centerpiece communication materials for priority population using State Strategic Plan (SSP),” she said.
Ansa, who was represented by Mr Ifere Obeten, Program Officer said the domestication was a follow up to the South South communication strategy workshop held in Port Harcourt and Asaba.
She said that with the setting up of Cross River SACA Media Team the training would reinvigorate the spirit of partnership with the media for the good of the state.
“This will enable us to take the message down to the grassroots, ” she said.
In his goodwill message, the State Director, FHI 360, one of the partners, Dr Frank Eyam said that, the HIV Self Testing and PrEP were the best way to checkmate the transmission of the virus.
“We are pleased that NACA is going this way, hence we decided to work with NACA and SACA.
“I believe this training will be very fruitful and results achieved in the long run, ” he said.
