Using television to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS can be a powerful medium to reach young people in an attempt to stave off the spread of the disease in China, said a senior UN official.

"TV programmes can be tailored to help people get the right kind of education on HIV/AIDS," said Ann Veneman, executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in an interview with China Daily earlier this week.

Veneman's comments came after she was deeply impressed by her first visit last week to Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, one of the least developed areas of the nation.

Last Friday, Veneman visited a mosque in the regional capital Yinchuan, where mullahs at a service told Muslim followers to preserve moral integrity and not to discriminate against HIV/AIDS patients. She also attended an HIV/AIDS prevention class at a middle school.

She said she was moved by a junior high girl student who spoke about the HIV/AIDS issue after watching television programmes.

"There are tremendous opportunities to use the power of television because there are so many people who have access to television in China," Veneman said. "These are excellent examples (on HIV/AIDS education) that need to be pursued throughout China and the world as well."

She added that it is equally important to address the transmission of the disease from mother to child as early as possible. "If you identify a baby being born from an HIV-positive mother, you can treat and help lessen the chances of the diseases being transmitted to the child."

UNICEF is one of the few agencies whose funds are raised by volunteer contributions, from governments to private sectors, she said.

"(In China) we are looking at the opportunity that some of businesses and people begin to donate money on behalf of the children," she added.

Praising the Chinese Government's efforts in protecting children's rights, Veneman stressed that China is making good progress on the road to reaching the millennium development goals set up by the United Nations.

Five years ago, UN member countries agreed to attempt to reduce by half the number of starving and impoverished people in the world by 2015. Other goals include stopping the spread of AIDS and malaria and providing education for all children.

Chai Xiaolin, deputy director of the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Commerce, said the UNICEF has given US$11.7 million in aid to Ningxia in support of its children's programmes since the 1980s.

(China Daily September 2, 2005)