AFEW:
Projects
>>
2nd Mass
Media Campaign on Safer Sex (Mongolia)
>>
Press-Release
Press-Release
Medecins sans Frontieres launches Safe Sex campaign
To avert threatening HIV epidemic in Mongolia
December 1 2000, World Aids Day. The international medical relief organisation
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), in close collaboration with the Ministry of
Health (MoH) in Mongolia, launches a media campaign: 'a condom - a healthy and
wise choice'. The campaign aims to avert a potential HIV epidemic in Mongolia
by promoting the practice of safe sex.
A rapid spread of HIV in neighbouring countries Russia and China and a dramatic
increase of sexually transmitted diseases in Mongolia, have alerted the Mongolian
health authorities to the threat of an HIV epidemic. The number of cases of
syphilis and gonorrhea doubled in the first nine months of 2000 compared with
the same period in the previous year, indicating an increase of risky sexual
behavior. So far, only two cases of HIV infection were reported in Mongolia.
The MSF safe sex campaign is a follow-up to an MSF campaign last year, which
encouraged young people to discuss sexual health issues and to take personal
responsibility. This campaign moves a step further and introduces the idea of
condom use and safe sex as a norm accepted by society, and encourages people
to increase their awareness of safe sex and to take action to remain healthy.
A survey carried out among young people indicates that they were very receptive
to last year's campaign. Out of the respondents, 75% had seen the campaign,
of whom, 82% liked it and 98% considered the information important. In the survey
the young people showed little embarrassment about seeing the campaign and 90%
wanted the campaign to be continued. Young people who had seen the campaign
appeared to be more receptive to condom use and more willing to consider raising
the issue themselves (source: MSF KAP survey, 2000).
The safe sex campaign is part of the Aids-prevention programme that MSF has
been implementing throughout Mongolia since March 1999, in co-operation with
national health authorities and other organisations. The programme aims to raise
awareness about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/Aids, and increase knowledge
about these diseases. Besides the campaign, MSF has also set up an information
centre for HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases, together with the
Russian non-governmental organisation Aids Infoshare and Mongolian counterparts.
The third component of the programme involves training for health professionals
in pre- and post-HIV-test counselling and the prevention of sexually transmitted
diseases.
The campaign 'a condom - a healthy and wise choice' will appear in Ulaanbaatar
and other areas of Mongolia from December 1, 2000. The campaign consists of
two 30-second video commercials; a radio commercial; outdoor advertisements;
an information leaflet, poster and calendar; and various events. The campaign
was designed by the Mongolian agency St'studio and was extensively tested within
the target group.
In the course of 2001, the safe sex campaigns will be handed over to the Mongolian
Ministry of Health's National Health Development Centre, which has been trained
in campaign development by MSF since the start of the AIDS-prevention programme.
For further information please contact:
* AIDS programme co-ordinator: Tatiana Andreeva * Campaign consultant: Ilona
van de Braak
Tel: + 976-11-362-766 (e-mail: msfholub@mongol.net)
Images: A video release is expected to be available from Reuters on World Aids
Day, December 1.
Photo materials and additional information will be available at www.mongolia.msf.org
or
at MSF Ulanbataar office : msfholub@mongol.net (or 976-11-362-766)
|
AFEW:
