Journalists attend AIDS workshop in St. Kitts

Close to 20 journalists from the OECS region gathered in St. Kitts this week for a three day media workshop on health reporting, with emphasis on HIV/AIDS.{{more}}

The workshop, under the theme “Towards better health- paving the way for more effective health reporting”, was organized by the St. Kitts based Media in support of People Living with HIV/AIDS (MISOPLWHA).

Barbadian journalist and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) representative Sanka Price was the facilitator of the event, which dealt with a number of issues that affect journalists when it comes to health reporting, including stigma and discrimination, partiality and retaining journalistic integrity.

At the opening of the workshop, permanent secretary in the St. Kitts Ministry of Health Elvis Seaton called on the journalists to use their social responsibility to help in the fight against stigma and discrimination.

MISOPLWHA chairperson Dr. Kathleen Ferdinand, in her address, asked all gathered to do the best they can in an effort to shape public opinion instead of reflecting it.

The workshop was part sponsored by PAHO UNAIDS and Cable & Wireless.

The journalists, came from countries including host country St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

This country was represented API’s Zhinga Greaves, Melessa Ballantyne of SVG Broadcasting and Searchlight’s Junior Jarvis.