Government and Policy

China to have radio program hosted by HIV carriers

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-10 08:37
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BEIJING: HIV carriers will join professional anchors to host a radio program for China's nationwide audience, scheduled to be broadcasting on China National Radio(CNR) as of January 16.

The program, the first of its kind in China, will be broadcast live from 9 pm to 10 pm on Saturdays on the CNR's Business Channel, and the audience can also listen to the program online at www.cnr.cn and www.sohu.com.

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The program, namely "Positive Talks", will feature communication between hosts and audience, and experts will also be invited to publicize knowledge on HIV/AIDS and prevention and control of the disease, Yang Wenyan, deputy editor-in-chief of CNR, told the start-up ceremony here Saturday.

Yang said he expected the program to give more "attention, care and support" to China's HIV-infected people.

Jointly produced by CNR and non-profit organization Marie Stopes International China, the program is expected to cover about 300 million people in 60 cities.

A HIV-infected host with an alias of Ma Binjun said that AIDS is not just a kind of disease or some statistics, but involves the daily life of tens of thousands of HIV carriers and their relatives and friends.

Ma said he hoped the program would enhance understanding between the infected groups and the general public, and encourage the HIV-infected people to live an active life.

Subinay Nandy, country director of the United Nations Development Program(UNDP) China, said the radio program demonstrated the establishment of a long-term cooperation mechanism between HIV-infected people, organizations and national media, which can contribute to campaigning HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

UNDP China and China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges also offered assistance to the radio program.

China has 560,000 to 920,000 people infected by HIV virus and 97,000 to 112,000 AIDS patients by the end of 2009, according to estimates by the Ministry of Health and the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).