AN APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN HIV/AIDS PREVENTION IN GHANA

AN APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN HIV/AIDS PREVENTION IN GHANA

Abstract:

In spite of the huge conventional mass media campaign on HIV prevention in Ghana and its attendant high public awareness, there is low level adoption of some preventive measures by the public due to their limited involvement in the communication process as well as a knowledge gap about the disease as confirmed by Ghana Demography and Health Survey (GDHS) of 2014. This questioned the impact of conventional communication channels and shifted focus to community radio, regarded as a grassroots medium that accentuates the voices and participation of people in addressing issues that affect them. Of great interest is the role of community radio broadcasting in HIV/AIDS prevention campaign in Ghana. This study, therefore, is aimed at understanding the role of community radio as a health communication mechanism in preventing the spread of HIV/ AIDS among the rural and semi-urban population in Ghana. The study specifically examined the current state of HIV/AIDS communication and community radio HIV programming in Pokuase and Winneba communities in Ghana; and the extent to which knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to HIV/AIDS are influenced by community radio as well as identified how community radio can be deployed to strengthen communication and improve HIV preventive measures uptake by the community members. Based on the Democratic-Participant Media Theory with structured conceptual frameworks, the study established a strong nexus between the theory and the principles guiding community radio broadcasting with emphasis on community participation and horizontal communication process. The study adopted the triangulation methodology of both quantitative and qualitative tools like Structured Questionnaire, Key Informant Interview and Personal Observation on a sample size of 824 respondents and 12 interviewees from the two communities. Based on the data and information, the study revealed that there is a high-level awareness of HIV epidemic in the sampled communities based on their community radio (Radio Emashie, Pokuase and Radio Peace, Winneba) programming. The study also found that community radio is an effective medium for enhancing community participation in the discussion of health-related issues. However, funding challenges appeared to inhibit the high level of community involvement in radio programme production and presentation. The findings further revealed that based on the influence of the HIV-related programmes on Radio Emashie and Radio Peace, community members have adopted certain behaviours such as the use of condoms, faithfulness to partners and limited number of sexual partners in order to prevent HIV infection. Hence, to improve the effectiveness of community radio as a veritable tool for the prevention of HIV infection, the study recommended an increase in the number and consistency of HIV-related programmes on the radio stations; increased funding to enable more community participation in community radio programming; and an increase in the number of HIV-related youth-focused programmes to prevent new infections. The study highlighted the installation of Radio Peace transmitter on Vodafone telecom base-station to ensure uninterrupted broadcast, as a key lesson derived for sustainable community radio operation in Nigeria.

AN APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY RADIO IN HIV/AIDS PREVENTION IN GHANA