Article in Finnmarken, Friday November 4. 1988
| Translation article by Dag Sirnes: The human face of the AIDS epidemic Oslo (NTB): Care and humanity - these are two key elements in a nationwide attitude campaign the National Association against AIDS (LMA) is conducting in November. The campaign is called "Care is not contagious" and aims to stem the so-called third epidemic - the societal reactions to the HIV / AIDS epidemic. ''The AIDS epidemic is not primarily about a deadly virus, but about attitudes. People's attitudes are often characterized by hysteria and indifference. We want to show the human being behind the virus. It is individuals who become infected with HIV. It is individuals who get AIDS. It could have been a brother, sister, neighbor or colleague'', said Secretary General Elise Klouman Bekken in LMA when the campaign was presented in Oslo on Wednesday. The background to the campaign, which starts on Friday and ends on World AIDS Day on December 1, is that HIV-positive people around the world are increasingly discriminated, despite efforts to dispel the myths surrounding the virus and the disease. So far, great emphasis has been placed on informing about the medical side of the epidemic, while the person affected suffers in secret. Very few of the more than 700 registered HIV-positive people in Norway dare to stand up for fear of losing their jobs, friends and family. The purpose of the campaign is to make it easier for those concerned. ''People are well informed about how AIDS is transmitted, but have poor knowledge of how the disease is not transmitted. We want to achieve this through the attitude campaign'', said LMA's deputy leader, Professor Christian F. Borchrevink. The campaign was funded with one million kroner by the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and has also received unique support among artists, advertising agencies and a large number of volunteers who have contributed or set up for the campaign free of charge on an idealistic basis. The troubadour Jan Eggum has written the AIDS song "Utenfor" ( Outside ), which is released on a single album for income for the National Association against AIDS. Also appearing on the record are Bjørn Eidsvåg, Sidsel Endresen, Silje Nergaard and Sigvart Dagsland. Olaf Rudolfsen has produced a video for the song. The video is sold through LMA and is recommended as a starting point for discussion among young people. As part of the campaign, there will be posters on public transport across large parts of the country. A separate campaign newspaper will be distributed in 320,000 copies. AIDS phone But the campaign should be two-way. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has funded a nationwide information telephone on AIDS with the number 050-34000, which anyone can call for local rates. ''We know that such a campaign raises many questions. People therefore have the opportunity to get in direct contact with professionals, if there is something they are wondering about with regard to HIV / AIDS'', says Elise Klouman Bekken. |