Catchy new billboards launched to raise HIV/Aids awareness

In an ongoing effort to promote healthier lifestyles and combat the spread of HIV/Aids, KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has unveiled a series of new, eye-catching billboards that are being erected across the province.

The billboards, which have been a hit on social media, were officially unveiled on Friday, live on the Department’s multimedia programme, KZN Health Chat.

They are designed to educate and raise awareness about HIV/Aids, and promote responsible sexual behaviour such as condom use, knowing one’s HIV status, adherence to anti-retroviral treatment (ART), prevent unplanned pregnancy, and to promote the role of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which protects against HIV infection.

The billboards are being strategically placed in various high-traffic areas, in order to capture the attention of people most affected by the HIV/Aids epidemic and those at risk.

Ms Simelane said government remained committed to tackling HIV/Aids head-on, and that there was a great need to re-invigorate and keep relevant all HIV/Aids messaging pertaining to its general awareness, prevention, treatment and adherence to treatment.

“Language is a very powerful tool. But most of our messaging on HIV/Aids is old, and has ended up sounding dull. When someone says, ‘Protect yourself, wear a condom,’ it might go above people’s heads – especially when it comes to young people - because it’s an old message that even we grew up hearing. It’s something we hear every day.

“My team and I then sat down and said, ‘What messages can we come up with?’… Because promoting responsible sexual behaviour and adherence to treatment is extremely important,” said Ms Simelane.

The results were six catchy billboards written in township parlance and youth slang, with the following messages:

• Dwadla i-rubber, ugabhe i-ghost #FakiCondom (Slip a rubber on, and steer clear of trouble);
• Ukuphusha ngo-brown kuzokufaka eghostini! #FakiCondom (Going in “raw” will put you in trouble);
• You tested HIV+? Don’t tatazel, Kuyaphileka nale shandisi! (You tested HIV positive? Don’t panic; you can live with HIV);
• Gcwala ngama-ARV ukuze uhlale umoja! (Adhere to your treatment, so you can stay okay);
• Ungalilahli isayidi, hlala emashini yama-ARV ukuze uhlale omoja! (Don’t fall by the wayside, stay on course by adhering to your Anti-Retroviral Treatment so you can stay okay.); and
• “Ivale mfana” – Sizowudl’u-PrEP i-HIV ize igubhe umswarelo (We’ll take our PrEP and stay protected from HIV until it says “sorry”);

The new marketing campaign has been met with a favourable response from many users of social media, some of whom have branded it “eye-catching”, “interesting” and “on point.”

“We’re very happy with the feedback we are receiving,” said Ms Simelane. Once you start to hear people talking about your messaging … when some people compliment it and even if others are critical of it, then you know you’ve done something right. That is what we wanted – to spark a conversation.”

Ms Simelane also revealed that the Department had been struggling to popularise PrEP, which offers protection against HIV infection – until now.

“We’ve been talking about PrEP for quite some time… We’ve stood on trees, gone to taxi ranks, and spoke on loudspeakers about it, for a very long time. Yet, no one was asking us about it, until this new campaign. Today, everyone is talking about it. People are taking note of these messages. And that’s what we wanted,” she said.