Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Reuters NewMedia - Wednesday November 15, 2000
Paul Majendie

For World AIDS day on Dec. 1, the pop superstar is hosting an MTV documentary on the ravages of AIDS. It tells the stories of six victims around the world from Paris to Kampala.

The Latin pop vocalist, flying into Stockholm to perform at the annual Europe MTV Awards, said: "AIDS continues to be a serious issue, and there is still a lot of work to be done to raise awareness around the world." With statistics showing that 50 percent of new HIV infections are among young people aged 15 to 25, he said he felt the need to battle ignorance was greater than ever.

"I hope this documentary inspires people to take the necessary precautions as well as show compassion toward those affected by AIDS," he said in a statement released by MTV.

For many people, the world of pop may be the ultimate symbol of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, but the cable television network feels it has a duty to educate its young audience amid all the excesses of the industry's hedonistic superstars.

Bill Roedy, President of MTV Networks International and Ambassador for UNAIDS, said: "The most significant contribution MTV can make to this fight is by talking to its audience base -- hundreds of millions of young people."

Ignorance Of Aids

A poll conducted last year by MTV in 11 countries showed that 27 percent of viewers knew nothing about the virus. Ten percent mistakenly said there was nothing to worry about because they thought there was now a cure for AIDS.

So the cable network will broadcast the documentary on World AIDS Day on its 28 music programming services across Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin, America, Russia and the United States with a potential audience of nearly 330 million households. It is being offered for free to other broadcasters worldwide.

The "Staying Alive" documentary seeks to dramatize through individual sufferers the problems that victims face with infection, discrimination and isolation, the need for education and the lack of access to affordable drugs.

In Paris, 19-year-old Guillaume confessed to having more than 250 sexual partners when he arrived as a naive teenager in the French capital. "I was ignorant about using condoms," he said.

In the Dominican Republic, 24-year-old Fanny Gonzales was infected by her husband and is now ostracized by her community. "You are going to contaminate the whole neighborhood; you must leave now," men shout at her in the street.

In Kampala, Uganda, 23-year-old Sandra pleads for the many Africans who cannot afford the anti-retroviral drugs that could extend their lives.

For, as Ricky Martin hammers home in a somber message to the teenagers that the film seeks to educate, "AIDS has no boundaries and it faces us all."

001115
RE001111

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2000. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2000. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .