The media can play a major role in creating awareness of HIV and AIDS in the country and break down the stigma atached to the disease, according to Dr. Sana'a Felemban of the National AIDS Program of Saudi Arabia. She was speaking on the eve of a major two-day symposium on AIDS to be opened here Tuesday. Dr. Abdulaziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, will patronize the event. The symposium has been organized by the National AIDS Program, the Jeddah Health Affairs Management, National Society for Human Rights, and a number of specialized international organizations. “The event will include many medical, psychological and social programs. It will also have training workshops for participants. A number of lectures and scientific programs will be presented by selected local newspaper editors, writers and prominent journalists from different regions of the Kingdom. They will talk about the social and humanitarian side of the disease,” said Felemban, who also serves as the head of the event's organizing committee. According to Felemban, the media can be used as a weapon to spread effective messages and reach deep into communities to increase awareness. “We chose media representatives to present the sessions because they can discuss AIDS from different sides. In this way we can achieve what we are aiming at – the spread of correct information.” “We hope that the media can play a key role in raising awareness about the disease through the dissemination of information about transmission and ways to avoid infection.” During the symposium, the media will discuss patients' rights, including access to treatment, education and marriage, said Felemban. Another important issue to be discussed is the need for more accurate information on the disease. At the moment there is a lot of misleading information on Aids and HIV in the community, she said. Delegates at the symposium are also expected to discuss the initiatives of local and international communities and the role of private organizations in supporting people living with AIDS, said Felemban. The lectures and workshops will be presented by, among others, Dr. Fahad Aal Aqran, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Madina Arabic newspaper, Jameel Al-Theiabi, General Director of Al-Hayat Saudi newspaper, Khaled Darraj, Editor-in-Chief of Shams newspaper, and Dr. Anmar Mataw'e, Professor of international communication at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah.
