“I want my leadership to be judged by the impact of our work on the health of two populations: women and the people of Africa .” These were the words spoken by the new WHO Director General, Margaret Chan, in her acceptance speech late last year. Many have welcomed Chan's vow to help end the marginalisation of women, as well as improve access to health care for the most needy continent in the world. Following on from this, Chan has elected Ghanaian Dr. Anarfi Asamoa-Baah as her deputy. Similarly, the UN has appointed a prominent Tanzanian official, Asha-Rose Migiro, as its Deputy Secretary General to reflect its continued support in alleviating Africa 's crises. Key Issues:
- Women are increasingly becoming vulnerable to HIV infection and the problem is more evident on the African continent. The new Director General's promise to these two vulnerable groups therefore represents a special opportunity for Africa 's journalists to highlight the plight of women and children in the context of this growing epidemic, therefore making obvious to world officials the need for swift action to curb its growth.
- Advocacy messages through the media require a multi-pronged approach. This means they must focus on lobbying for international bodies to make concrete and verifiable promises to Africa and its women. It also means keeping constant checks on governments to filter down aid to the most needy individuals and groups. It also means preparing communities for social change by informing them of vital interventions such as PMTCT and anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
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