Tunajali HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Radio Programme

The Tunajali radio programme is broadcast by eight radio stations in three regions of Tanzania. After consultations with technical officers based in implementing regions and at headquarters, it was agreed to start the relationship with participating radio stations by first equipping the radio producers with basic knowledge on care and treatment issues. A five-day training was held in Iringa in June 2010 with 15 radio producers from eight radio stations based in the three implementing regions. The radio stations were: Radio Kitulo (Makete), Uplands (Njombe), Ebony, Country and Furaha (in Iringa Rural and Municipality), Radio Ukweli in Morogoro and Pambazuko in Kilombero and Ulanga districts.

Organisers say that during the training, it was evident that most of the producers of health-related programmes were not very conversant with care and treatment issues or HIV/AIDS in general. It was also noted that although some of the stations were broadcasting HIV/AIDS programmes, the institutions coordinating the programmes did not invest in developing their skills in preparing and broadcasting medical and science-related radio programming.

The training developed a guideline and a shopping list for programmes on prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS. It was agreed that each radio station would prepare and broadcast the initial 12 weekly 30-45 minute programmes before convening another meeting to review progress.

Six months later, the second meeting was organised in Morogoro to review work done, challenges, and opportunities for the Tunajali radio programme partnership. Three new stations requested to participate in the meeting (at their own expense) as they were interested in the care and treatment focused programmes. These were Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) (Central Zone-Dodoma), Top Radio, and Radio Abood in Morogoro, and Radio Sibuka in the Coast region.

By December 2010, eight radio stations had produced and broadcast a total of 91 programmes, half of which were on prevention, care, and treatment. Of the 91 programmes broadcast, topics on mother-to-child transmission and prevention, adherence to ARV drugs, discordant couples, and TB and HIV compatibility were dominant in the airwaves.

Through the weekly radio programmes, new questions from clients and the general public were addressed and answers were given by health workers including counsellors and clinicians. The organisers say that radio enabled those who in normal circumstances find it hard to ask questions to feel free to do so relatively anonymously.

HIV/AIDS

A quick listenership assessment done in Morogoro, Iringa, and Njombe regions where the community-based radio stations are located indicated that the programmes, repeated every week, have been listened to by 50% of regular listeners of the radio stations. Specific themes such as "Tuberculosis and HIV", "Availability of ARVs", "Mother to Child Transmission" and "Reducing Self Stigma" were among the more popular programmes that attracted questions and answers from listeners and health workers.

According to organisers, many listeners asked personal questions and wanted the programmes to last an hour instead of 30 minutes. They also wanted broadcasts to happen twice a week. In some cases, 30 minutes was not adequate time to answer all the questions for a topic. Listeners often asked questions about particular ARV combinations and side effects; TB and HIV programmes also attracted many listeners, and more programmes on TB and HIV were demanded. At one radio station, listeners wanted pop music and R&B to use stigma reduction messages in their songs. Listeners also asked questions about government services, and wanted more time to have questions answered by medical professionals.

Prior to Tunajali not much was done to prepare tailored programmes for specific audiences in specific locations. Random interviews with health providers, PLHIV, relatives and members of the communities in implementing districts, as well as with radio producers based in the districts, revealed that most of the general radio and television programmes as well as newspaper articles and publications were not addressing some of the key specific questions and issues that PLHIV and their relatives and families wanted to know.

According to the organisers, coverage extends beyond the districts which implement the Tunajali Care and Treatment Programme reaching millions of people in Mbeya, Dodoma, Iringa, Morogoro, and Njombe regions with vital and scientific information they would otherwise not have the chance to hear from other radio stations.

In the near future, the Tunajali programme aims to establish a long-term agreement with at least two to three radio stations which have higher audiences across the implementing regions. Radio is still considered the leading media that many ordinary Tanzanians rely on for news, social information, education programmes, and entertainment.