Namibia's Own 'Smile' - for Free
Namibia became the second country in Africa - after South Africa - to produce condoms with the launch
of a new male condom "Smile" as part of its efforts to stem the HIV
pandemic that is devastating the continent.
“Let's take pride in ourselves and the positive progression
and development of this beautiful nation. Let's fight AIDS together and let's
bring the smile back to our faces by using Smile every time," [Deputy
Health and Social Services Minister Petrina] Haingura urged. She said although all condoms are virtually of the same
quality, the Government realised that the packaging makes a difference. "We are also aware of the fact that free distribution
may be criticised, but our main aim is to ensure that those who cannot afford
socially marketed condoms have access to condoms when they need them," she
stressed.
Delivering a Health Warning Needn’t Be a Drag, Flo Shows
“Oh, you just got your syphilis test results back. … Don’t
touch me!” the grand dame of Kansas City drag queens said as she looked out at the crowd at this midtown bar. Flo has been making syphilis a running theme in her shows at gay-oriented nightspots around town — and not just to get a laugh.
To combat the sexually transmitted disease, the Kansas City
Health Department has launched a new kind of public health campaign using
techniques called social marketing.
Social marketing augments the usual brochures and do’s and don’ts with the persuasive power of carefully aimed advertising and entertainment.
Kansas City's syphilis trends and the city’s response mirrors what has been happening nationally. In 1999, syphilis rates reached historically low levels in the United States.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a national plan to eliminate the disease, focusing prevention on disadvantaged heterosexuals. Gay men were not a major consideration.
Meanwhile, major cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco began to see a rise in syphilis cases in their gay communities … Many cities initiated social marketing campaigns that were tailored to reach their gay communities. Outreach workers in south Florida visited gyms, bookstores and parties. San Francisco used a cartoon character. Atlanta placed messages on billboards, T-shirts and coffee mugs.
Health Workers Change Course
The Ministry of Health will adopt strategies from the
corporate sector to better convey health issues to the public. At the same time, health officials will be
hoping for a more participatory approach from the public. Officials believe they have to change their
marketing and promotion strategy to adapt to attitude and lifestyle.
"The main objective is to find out how successfully we can get into the community and how best to change behaviour in the area of health,'' said Timoci Satakala, chief executive of the National Road Safety
Council.
He made the comment at a workshop on social marketing and mobilisation management meeting in Suva yesterday. It was part of a two-year program organised to build proficiency among Health staff and representatives from partner agencies in social marketing and mobilisation planning, management, monitoring and evaluation.
"We have to come up with new ideas and raise the standards,'' he added
‘China Seatbelt Intervention Project' - China Partners With International Expertise To Improve Road Safety
The George Institute for International Health officially launched the ‘China Seatbelt Intervention Project' in Guangzhou in mid-2005. Adopting practices found successful around the world, senior police and traffic officers attended seatbelt law enforcement training and commenced intensive enforcement program in October 2005, in which almost 3000 vehicles were inspected and 1000 drivers or passengers not wearing their seatbelt were penalized or educated. This scientific approach will assist policy makers to best identify how to carry out this type of intervention and demonstrate how to gain the most impact and benefits to Chinese citizens.
To complement the intervention, an intensive social marketing campaign is underway, focusing on raising awareness of road traffic safety laws, according to the Traffic Command and Control Center of Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Public Security. It is being rolled out in collaboration with training managers of taxi companies and members of traffic safety committees. The center reports: “Guangzhou police have indicated that since the launch of the China Seatbelt Intervention, a series of activities including social marketing campaigns, taxi companies' management and enhanced seatbelt enforcement, aimed to increase seatbelt use awareness and compliance, have been implemented.
Technorati Tags: Health Education, Health Communication, HIV/AIDS, Social Marketing, Syphilis, Traffic Safety
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