Kathmandu: Experts at a two day work-shop on Media and HIV/AIDS organized by Conscious Media Forum concluded that media should report issues on social justice keeping in mind social and economic aspects of HIV/AIDS.
In the program some experts also accused the government for not being able to bring effective programs and strategies to control the HIVAIDS, though it was successful to accumulate funds from donor agencies
Participants agreed that as issues related to HIV/AIDS have been highly politicized it is becoming increasingly difficult to report this burning issue.
Speaking on behalf of the government Dr. Beni Bahadur Karki stressed that media should always play a vital role to fill the gap created in the society by the HIV/AIDS issue.
Speaking on the same occasion country coordinator of the UNAIDS Mr. Michael Hann said that the as the number of HIV/AIDS infected is increasing at a very fast rate Nepalese government should make proper strategy and develop good control mechanism to cope with the problem
Existing policy on HIV/AIDS, adopted by the government is not sufficient enough to face the current situation, said country director of ActionAid Nepal Mr. Sibesh Chandra Regmi.
Chief of the PLWHA Rajiv Kafle blamed the developed countries for making HIV/AIDS related issues highly political for their own benefits.
Health expert Mr. Mahesh Sharma, Dr. Sharad Onta, Senir journalist Mr. Ram Krishna Regmi, FNJ President Mr. Tara Nath Dahal, Mrs. Durga Ghimire of ABC, Nepal, Mr. Prabhu Raj Bhaidya of Yeti Chem also spoke on the occasion.
The program was participated by 50 representatives from main stream media, I/NGO and government sector as well, which was chaired by chairman of Conscious media forum Mr Kiran Pokherel.