HANOI, May 12, 2010 -- USAID sponsored a media training session today for journalists on harm reduction interventions for HIV/AIDS prevention, especially the role of journalists in shaping public opinion around such issues as methadone treatment, needle/syringe provision, and condom promotion.

The training, attended by 25 journalists from national print and broadcast media, covered the national policy and legal framework and evidence of the effectiveness of harm reduction interventions.

Participants were particularly interested in the discussion session with a patient from the methadone program in Hanoi who spoke powerfully about how the treatment had helped him turn his life around in very positive ways, including being able to hold a regular job and provide for his family.

Participating journalists discussed issues raised during presentations on the legal framework and evidence of effectiveness of harm reduction interventions and how they could become advocates in their media for the adoption and scale-up of these interventions in Vietnam.  Each journalist attending the training will prepare at least one article or broadcast report based on the information gained at the training session.

The training was sponsored by the Ministry of Information and Communication and the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, with the support of USAID's Health Policy Initiative (USAID/HPI) under the U.S.
President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Mr. Do Quy Doan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communication, attended and delivered opening remarks, exhorting journalists to cover these issues clearly and consistently in the media.