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Trust Freddy and Rejoice Makoni

THE Government, through the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, has saluted all media organisations for keeping the HIV story alive over the years despite competition from various stories, including other diseases and emerging pandemics, wars and disasters as well as political and economic developments of the time.

Speaking during the 2023 National Aids Council Media Awards ceremony that was held yesterday in Harare, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, said it was imperative that the media continues to play its educative and watchdog roles over the response to HIV.

“The media has been a pivotal player in pursuit of the objectives of the national response to HIV, educating and empowering the nation to avoid contracting HIV, living with the virus, shattering stigma and discrimination, and providing hope to the infected and affected as well as holding policy makers to account for policy implementation and resource allocation as well utilisation.

“It is therefore important to guard against complacency based on the achievements we have recorded. In this regard, I would like to exhort the media to continue affording the HIV story its relevance and space. If we entertain any complacency, it is very easy to transfer this to the public and therefore reverse the gains we have recorded so far.”

“This year’s awards ceremony comes barely two weeks after we commemorated the World Press Freedom Day, a day that underpins the right to freedom of expression, press freedom, access to information and the pursuit of peace and sustainable development, which in turn are all central to these awards.”

“Awareness of HIV as a threat to wellbeing and national development has reached over 93 percent and we now sit on a better place with informed citizenry and primed to achieve the National Development Strategy 1 goals of improving quality of life and increasing life expectancy, which are central to human happiness and economic progress.

“The Second Republic, under the astute leadership of His Excellency, President ED Mnangagwa, has achieved these milestones through the multi-sectoral response approach that has placed key responsibilities in various sectors,” she said.

She also expressed her gratitude to the National Aids Council for introducing these awards, which have, “without a doubt rejuvenated HIV reporting and health reporting in general”.

The 2023 NAC media awards saw different media houses and journalists including freelances scooping honours for accurately and passionately communicating the HIV and AIDS story through both the print and electronic media.

Zimpapers, the largest integrated media company in the country also received an award for its consistency and accurate reporting on issues to do with HIV and AIDs.

The most promising journalist award in print media also went to Zimpapers’ journalist Talent Gore for her dependable and factual reporting.

Other media houses such as the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and Alpha Media Holdings were also honoured.

NAC chief executive Dr Bernard Madzima said the awards were open to all reporters, from the print and electronic as well as online media who consistently and accurately cover HIV, related aspects and developmental aspects.

“The National AIDS Council introduced the media awards as part of strategies to ensure that the HIV and AIDS story remains relevant in an environment of fatigue and increased competition for media space from various other newsworthy aspects.

“We have therefore sought to recognise excellence in covering HIV, anchored on consistency, correctness and passion.

“I am glad that following the introduction of these awards, coverage of HIV has increased and the depth has also improved including paying attention to the linkages between HIV and related epidemics such as COVID-19, TB and non-communicable diseases.”

The NAC, Dr Madzima said has always regarded the media as a very strategic partner together with whom we have achieved several milestones in the response, key among them the reduction of the HIV incidence and prevalence and expansion of treatment services.