UN-backed show highlights lifesaving benefit of ‘edutainment’ in South Africa  |

A brand new report, carried out by the London Faculty of Hygiene & Tropical Medication, signifies that, after watching the episodes, younger individuals had been twice as prone to get examined for HIV. 

They had been additionally twice as prone to know their standing and to pay attention to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis, generally known as PrEP, a drug taken by HIV-negative individuals earlier than intercourse, that reduces the chance of getting HIV. 

A scene on the season 2 of the sequence, that follows younger individuals within the nation, by MTV Staying Alive Basis / Unitaid

World marketing campaign 

The Down South sequence is a part of the multimedia marketing campaign MTV Shuga, a long-running initiative that follows the lives of younger individuals on the African continent.  

Beginning in Kenya in 2009 as a TV present, the marketing campaign has now expanded to characteristic radio dramas, social media engagement throughout and after exhibits, graphic novels and peer schooling programmes.  

Globally, the initiative has reached younger individuals in 72 international locations, broadcasting to an estimated 720 million properties.  

The Down South sequence analysed within the examine contains two seasons and was broadcasted in South Africa in 2017 and 2019. 

It was funded by Unitaid, a worldwide well being initiative that companions with the United Nations, and produced by the MTV Staying Alive Basis.  

Outcomes 

For Hervé Verhoosel, spokesperson for Unitaid, the outcomes “are incredible information and additional proof that edutainment is driving actual impression in familiarizing younger individuals with completely different instruments for HIV prevention, together with self-tests and PrEP.” 

The necessity for dependable info and companies is important for younger individuals all over the place, however extra acute in international locations with excessive HIV prevalence, corresponding to South Africa, the place 7.8 million individuals are dwelling with the virus. 

In keeping with WHO, round 19% of individuals dwelling with HIV in Africa have no idea their standing.  

For Mr. Verhoosel, a marketing campaign like this “is offering invaluable help in selling HIV self-testing and prevention” within the continent.   

Research outcomes 

The examine discovered that the results elevated with larger publicity to the sequence, had been equally excessive for men and women, and stronger amongst adolescents (15-19-year olds) than adults aged 20-24 years. 

Among the many 3,414 on-line survey individuals, information of HIV standing was larger amongst these uncovered to the second season, about 58%, in comparison with the 35% who weren’t. 

Watching the second season can be related to elevated consciousness of HIV self-testing, going from 28 per cent to 60 per cent, and elevated use of HIV self-testing, rising from 10 per cent to 29 per cent. 

Throughout the pandemic, the present tailored its new content material to give attention to COVID-19 by means of the Alone Collectively sequence, additionally a part of the MTV Shuga secure of exhibits. 

Aired on MTV channels around the globe, the content material can be provided rights-free to third celebration broadcasters and platforms, and utilized by educators, healthcare staff and grassroots HIV/AIDS organisations around the globe. 

Over 4 sequence, the drama has crossed the continent from Kenya to Nigeria and touched on quite a few plotlines regarding HIV and protected intercourse together with HIV testing, stigma, dwelling with HIV, mom to little one transmission, transactional intercourse, gender-based violence, and condom use.