Ghana Radio Stations Launch HIV/AIDS Soap Opera Project

Main Category: HIV / AIDS
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Article Date: 17 Mar 2008 - 7:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Ten radio stations in Ghana recently launched a pilot project that aims to promote awareness about HIV/AIDS through a soap opera, the Accra Mail/AllAfrica.com reports. The project is funded by the Ghana AIDS Commission under the National Innovation Program. It is implemented by the Centre for Development Communication.

According to CEDCOM team leader Gariba Ibrahim, the soap opera, called "Dudu," will be broadcasted in six local languages -- Twi, Ewe, Dagbani, Gruni, Dagaari and Ga-Dangbe. A radio station from each of Ghana's regions will broadcast the program. "Dudu" was developed based on research conducted by CEDCOM and the partner radio stations to identify high-risk behaviors of their audiences. Gariba said that some of the behaviors the soap opera aims to address include frequently changing sex partners, infidelity, low condom use, alcohol use before engaging in sex and believing that protection is not needed with certain partners. Under the project, radio station employees have been trained on how to promote behavior change, Gariba said, adding that the program could be expanded after an evaluation of its pilot phase. He also called on all HIV/AIDS stakeholders, including the media, to change the focus on their programs from awareness to behavior change (Accra Mail/AllAfrica.com, 3/12).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

• Additional
• References
• Citations