day workshop aimed at informing the media about AIDS and HIV will kick off Sunday in Jeddah. The motto of the event is “Towards a Positive Interaction with AIDS Issues”. The Minister of Social Affairs is expected to patronize the workshop. The event is being organized by the Saudi Charity Association for AIDS Patients in cooperation with the National Program for Combating AIDS, run by the Ministry of Health, and the Regional Bureau of the United Nations Development Program.? ?The workshop is aimed at ensuring the media spreads awareness of the disease in society. According to Dr. Sanaa Filimban, chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Charitable Society for AIDS Patients, AIDS is the worst health crisis facing the world. “The demand for preventive measures has become greater than ever.” She said measures need to be taken to combat poverty, lack of knowledge, violence and deprivation of vital rights. She said efforts are being undertaken to ensure Saudi Arabia has the least number of AIDS cases in the world. This needs collective action, she said. A number of specialists will deliver lectures during the workshop on ways to deal with AIDS, which is a significant challenge to development in Arab states. The program will also shed light on the social rights of AIDS and HIV patients. “These patients are part of society and are not supposed to be deprived of their rights,” she added. Filimban hoped that participants would help to eliminate social stigmas related to AIDS patients. The first session will see a speech delivered by a female HIV patient. After that, experts will deliver lectures on the effect of AIDS on the development of society. She added that media ethics related to dealing with issues of HIV patients will also be discussed.
