Evaluating Communication Strategy of HIV Awareness Campaign in Ghana: A Case Study of Ghana Aids Commission

Abstract

Effective communication strategy informs patients on the awareness of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and helps remove myth surrounding the disease especially where ignorance prevails. This study sought to evaluate communication strategy of HIV awareness campaign in Ghana: a case study of Prampram Municipality in the Greater Accra Region. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the communication components in the HIV awareness campaign, identify the current communication tools and approaches used for the HIV awareness campaign, examine the gaps and challenges in the communication strategies deployed to create HIV awareness, find out strategic communication strategies that can increase HIV awareness and reduce spread in Prampram municipality. The current study was carried out as a desk study which involved research conducted without fieldwork. The study was based on published reports. The study revealed that communication strategy must take into account the special circumstances within the environment by assessing the local situation to identify which types of barriers may need special attention before designing a health communication initiative. The present study recommended the following; a continuous effort required for structural change and a long-term goal for more effective health promotion activities, the Ghana AIDS Commission design a communication strategy from bottom-up and not vice versa. This is imperative to get community members to own the communication strategy. With meaningful community engagement in Prampram, to ensure that community members own the strategy rather than perceiving that it not for them