HIV/AIDS Prevention: UNAIDS, Chinese Media Firm Launch African Campaign

The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Beijing, China on May 12, 2017.

The cooperation deal between United Nations AIDS, UNAIDS and StarTimes Group, a Chinese media firm on enhancing HIV/AIDS awareness in Africa, was rolled out in several countries before the 30^th World AIDS Day on December 1, 2017. In Uganda, Zambia and Ghana, StarTimes branch companies and UNAIDS local offices signed detailed agreements to raise awareness on HIV prevention among adolescents and young people, with men as special target. 

South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, Rwanda and Cameroon, are expected to sign similar agreements soon. Meanwhile, StarTimes and the Ghana AIDS Commission are discussing a roadmap for delivering HIV/AIDS television and social media content on StarTimes network and partner TV stations during coverage of Ghana football matches.

In Zambia, TopStar (a joint venture by StarTimes and the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, ZNBC) and UNAIDS are working together to engage First Lady Esther Lungu to talk about HIV prevention to the people. She has already recorded a short Public Service Advertising on AIDS to be broadcast on 15 TV stations across the country through TopStar’s digital TV network.

During the 2017 World AIDS Day, StarTimes Uganda Company and UNAIDS sent a team of experts and doctors to test and counsel in Kasese Town where local people have suffered natural disasters, tribal conflicts and civil wars in the last two decades. It was part of the Kasese Peace Festival, a three-day event meant to bring back hope ...