saathii@yahoo.

com
http://www.saathii.org/

ALL INDIA RADIO

KODAIKANAL

22.10.2007

Trip Report on visit to all India Radio, Kodaikanal

Date : 22.10.07

Participants : Mr. Swaminathan, Program Manager, SAATHII

Mr. Williams, Coordinator – Linkages and Networking
Mr. Vijay Anand, Coordinator – Documentation

Mr.Rajaram, Program Executive, All India Radio,

Kodaikanal

Mr. Somas Kandamoorthy, I.B.S,

Assistant Station Director, All India Radio, Kodaikanal

Time : 03:30 pm to 04:15 pm

SAATHII team with AIR Team at All India

Radio, Kodai
INTRODUCTION

Mr. Swaminathan introduced the SAATHII team to Mr. Somas Kandamoorthy, I.B.S
Assistant Station Master, AIR- INDIA, Kodaikanal and explained about SATHII - IMAI
activities at Karur and illustrated the need of the hour as:

(i) Doctors and nurses have been trained in IMAI module with support from
World Health Organization (WHO) and are ready to treat People Living with
HIV/AIDS and on other hand PLHIV’s should be motivated to access the
available care and treatment services at Primary Health Centers and Taluk
level hospitals. Media’s support is imperative for this to happen.
(ii) The general public should be motivated to avail the VCT services at the
district through massive awareness.
(iii) Speaking on sensitizing the public to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS
during which he quoted about an alarming issue that school students have
risky behavior especially homosexual activities at their hostels, which was
studied during school sensitization program at Karur district.
(iv) To provide more information about ART adherence and to provide pill
reminder tips through mass media.

DECENTRALIZATION OF HIV AND AIDS TREATMENT

SAATHII’s request was accepted by the AIR team and they told that such a program
can be taken up as special program in “Maru Maname Maru” which would run for one
hour continuously.

Hence they informed that this can be a sponsored program which would cost Rs.
9662/- inclusive12.36 % tax and the sponsor has 240 seconds i.e. exactly 4 minutes to
advertise their product. But they agreed to give us 50% off in their rates and the one
hour slot will now cost Rs.4831/-
 Timing Duration Cost Tax Gross cost After Concession

10:00 to 11: 00 Hrs 1 Hr 8,600 1,062.96 9,662.96 4,831.48

Our Plan for this one hour slot

1. To have the Dist. Collector and DD – HS speak about the availability of

HIV/AIDS treatment services at PHC level and also the facilities available at
ART center such as CD4 etc,.
2. To have a rep from EPT to talk about the importance of health seeking behavior
3. To have a live Q&A session for which the ART MO or one of our facilitators can
answer.
4. Messages about the single usage of needles, importance of adherence, CD4
testing once in 6 months, can also be told.

ART PILL REMINDERS

Regarding ART pill reminders they would allot 10 seconds which would cost Rs.505/-
inclusive 12.36 % tax at morning hours and Rs.449/- inclusive 12.36 % tax at evening
hours where they will provide the pill reminder for three seconds and the balance
seven seconds would be utilized for advertising the product through sponsor. But now
they agreed to give this spot for 476/- per day (50% discount).

Timing Duration Cost Tax Gross cost After discount

08:00 Hrs 10 Sec 450 55.62 505.62 252.81

20:00 Hrs 10 Sec 400 49.44 449.44 224.72

Our plan for this …

1. To get sponsorship from local business community as they will also get
advantage to market their products and the second benefit foe them is they can
enjoy 50% discount when they go through us.
2. Message like “ It is time for those who take drugs regularly for diabetics, TB, BP
and HIV/AIDS” (it will be in tamil )
3. We feel that this regular pill reminder through radio for at least 3 months
continuously will bring in a behavior change among those who are ON ART.
 COVERAGE OF KODAI FM (22 districts in Tamilnadu)

The coverage of Kodai FM extends from Ulundurpet to Tuticorin, Thanjavur to

Yercaud and stretched up to Hosur except cities like Coimbatore, Trichirapalli and
Madurai and also it was told that it would cost less in reaching more people compared
Photo showing radar system at AIR, Kodai to print media with number of listeners.
Tamilnadu survey stated that there are about 3.5
to 4 Crore peoples are in the coverage (All India
Radio, Kodaikanal) and even if 30 % of people
would listen to the programs it would be a good
reach. All India Radio, Kodaikanal has ten Radio
clubs who are indulging in social actives and
programs. They also informed that three
programs which was recorded at SAATHII – IMAI training with EPT’s has been
broadcasted till now.

It was verbally agreed with Mr. Rajaram (Program Executive – FM) that activities of
SAATHII – IMAI team would be broadcasted in any of the live program (Question and
Answer session) about the facilities available in Karur district. The time and date will
be informed to SAATHII once the program is been scheduled.

MOBILIZING SPONSORS

We were advised to approach the following institutes who will be ready to sponsor
these kinds of programs:

1. Drug Companies -Cipla

2. Hindustan Latex Ltd
3. Valluvar collge, Karur.
4. Classic Water, Karur
5. Major textile Ltd of karur.
***
If we get sponsors we are planning to collect cheque in the name of SAATHII and send
it to Chennai and in turn SAATHII will pay to AIR – Kodaikanal. The sponsor will be
given a 80 G receipt. ( please let us know is this OK)

STUDIO

The All India Radio team took SAATHII team to the Studio where a live program was
going on.

LIBRARY

We were also shown the library where the Tapes/Disc/Records were kept safely in a
order by which it can be easily accessible.