THE HIV/TB Elimination Project of the OECS Commission is working with partners to raise awareness and social responsibility around the issues of HIV and HIV/TB through the launch of a new animation series.
The three-part narrative features key affected populations and introduces audiences to HIV/TB prevention and control with an emphasis on screening, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, follow up, combating stigma and discrimination and cultivating community participation.
The short animations target the general public and are designed to serve as an advocacy tool whilst fostering community involvement that promotes social change.
Dr. Cleophas DāAuvergne, Project Coordinator for the OECS HIV/TB Elimination Project, hopes that the narratives in the animations would highlight common misconceptions and help viewers realise that TB and TB/HIV prevention and control is both an individual and community responsibility.
āThese animations are a vital part of public education and sensitisation germane to TB, TB/HIV in our communities. They capture the essence of TB prevention, screening and control using a medium that engenders personification, familiarity, humour and realism all fashioned by our OECS cultural context,ā Dr. DāAuvergne said.
The overarching goal of the OECS HIV/TB Elimination Project is to implement HIV, STI and TB interventions in the OECS to effectively reduce the rates of new infections in line with HIV 90-90-90 targets by 2020, the End TB Strategy and the TB Elimination Framework for low incidence countries with emphasis on improving the service for key populations (KPs).