The Communication Initiative

[Philipos Gile]

Hi

I loved this thoughtful dialogue.

From African/Ethiopia perspective, the enigma of HIV & AIDS has paradoxical feature(Knowledge, IEC/BCC issues were delt across the nation, regional/ local government states..). More than 85% of Ethiopians(including students) know about HIV, AIDS, its roots of transmission and its impacts. Yet, this knowledge is not really supported by actual changes in thoughts, perceptions, beliefs, most importantly behaviors. Still there are educated people exposed to HIV and dieing...

I thought and feel that HIV/AIDS education and its management programs must be mainstreamed across the society, sector....including faith-based institutions. Churches and mosques nowadays doing commendable business here in Ethiopia. Schools have already begun mainstreaming. My college has already mainstreamed gender and HIV/AIDS program.

But still it needs strong leadership, we have to fight first biased attitudes and thoughts like IKIK(I know it I know it perceptions of civil servants, academic staff). Anyways, i am currently working on my Ph D proposal to find out what is missing??


The major problem for countries like Ethiopia and universities/colleges here is financial and human resource. I found HIV/AIDS is really costly threat of development(MDGs or Local/nationa develepment agenda). What do you think? What roles are expected from each of us(individually, professionally, nationally... ?)

Looking forward to hearing from you soon



PHILIPOS PETROS
(Lecturer and Head, HIV/AIDS Management Unit)
Ethiopian Civil Service Collge
P.O.Box 5648
Phone(Off) +251116463015;(Cell) +251 911 204063; fax +25116463016
Email: or
Website: http://www.ethcsc.org
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou

[Marjan J.D. de Bruin]

Dear Warren

Priorities:
1. a critical review of traditional but still extremely popular individual level approaches, especially the adequacy of  supporting conceptual framework(s)
2. more attention and focus on community level approaches and the specific cultural realities
3. and, we should try to explain to policymakers than communication is so much mroe than focussing on mass media and campaigns
Marjan de Bruin