Education & advocacy

The PHRU has a strong history of advocacy, public education and participation in debate. The HIV and the Media project, funded by USAID and now through Johns Hopkins University, is a collaboration with Wits University's Journalism programme.

The project supports senior media fellows in their research into the media and HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

The first two fellows were appointed in 2003 and have researched "conflict and HIV/AIDS in the South African press" and "reception and recall of HIV/AIDS-related news in a poor urban community".

The unit is part of a network of organisations that can contribute to this work, including Johns Hopkins University, MMP, CADRE, Soul City and others.

The PHRU intends to use a variety of media to disseminate information. This website will be one vehicle; newspapers and radio will take this important material to a broader base than in the past.

What is our role in training and research support?

Training and research support are important features of the PHRU's work.

The unit's experience in clinical trials and access programmes provides strategic information for the national treatment programme.

It also developed a training manual in mother-to-child transmission prevention, with the Regional Aids Training Network, and supports such programmes in neighbouring provinces and countries.