Some journalists at the end of a workshop on Prevention of
Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDs on Tuesday promised to create
more awareness on mother to child transmission at the rural areas.

Publisher of Flashpoint newspapers in Delta State Mr David
Diai, told our correspondent   in Calabar
that there had been lack of information on the transmission, especially at the
rural areas.

“The country have not created more awareness on PMTCT
because the media has not lived up to its responsibility in that direction.

“Again, especially the media at the community level has to
be involved in creating awareness on the issue because women at the rural areas
needs correct information on mother to child prevention of HIV and AIDS,” he
said.

Diai promised to give maximum attention and also promote the
issue of HIV in his publication with more emphasis on mother to child
transmission.

According to him, he will ensure that community based
newspaper publishers form themselves into nucleus to promote PMTCT in order to
make the country have free HIV babies.

“I network with numerous community newspapers in my area,
the first thing to do is to give maximum attention and promotion to PMTCT in my
publication.

“I will also drive the process of making sure that the issue
that conscience PMTCT are reflected in all the newspapers that operate in my
network.”

Diai said the attention given to community based newspapers
and radio in the south was high and
called on the state government and media owners to propagate the issue
of mother and child transmission.

Mrs Ify Onyegbule, Presenter, Health and Wellness on Radio
Continental, Lagos said stigma was another issue hindering the fight against
HIV and AIDS in the country.

Onyegbule, who is also a producer of ‘ Woman of Substance’
said she would ensure that the issue of stigma was addressed in all her
programmes

“Although the issue of stigma is reducing but we need to do
more to help expectant mothers access the HIV treatment to have babies free of
the virus,” pointing out that  when the
stigma bill was passed,  it would enhance
the fight against the virus.

Mrs Tongnaan Bawa, Nigerian Newsday, Jos, said she had
learnt a lot about PMTCT during the workshop and was more determined to create
awareness on the issue.

Bawa said she would write more human interest stories on
babies that are born HIV free for others to learn, and called on the media to
ensure proper awareness  on the issue of
PMTCT as that would go a long way in the fight against HIV and AIDS in the
country.

The workshop was for the Journalists Alliance for Prevention
of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (JAP), an NGO in collaboration with
Child Right Information Bureau (CRIB) and UNICEF.