Strange but true: “Celebrate” WAD instead “observing

[Guest guest]

Moderator,

I would prefer this mail to be anonymous please.

Dear all,

After going through all activities conducted for the `World AIDS Day

I could not help my self but put my thoughts onto this forum.

I did not realize that we have come to " Celebrate " WAD instead

of " observing " this day as a mark of remembrance to all those who

have been affected with this epidemic. Since when has a disease

become a cause for celebration?

It is good that this day attracts a lot of attention in the media.

This way we not only impress upon our political leaders of the

problem but also bring it out to the notice of the general public.

Besides, WAD what else have we to offer to the persons living with

HIV/AIDS. Though the theme this year is on stigma and discrimination,

it is evident that not much has been done in the area of

discrimination and people with the virus continue to be shunned by

the communities and also the medical community. Most of the

activities of WAD concentrated in educating the already educated and

aware. After years of knowing all about transmission of the virus, we

still have these `already aware' persons fighting shy of getting

associated with reducing stigma in their communities.

`Use a Condom.' These three words are magic to policy makers and

program managers. If only had this been effective, we would not be

fighting a population problem simultaneously. Yes condom is a major

factor in reducing STIs and HIV transmission. But, are our messages

and strategies clear on who should be using a condom and why. Some of

the questions that have been asked to me are whether we should

masturbate with a condom on or if we always use a condom then what

happens when I want a baby. Lets hope we do not have a

counterproductive condom craze.

Finally isn't it strange that we borrow all our activities of WAD

from the west where issues of HIV/AIDS are very different from what

we have back home. Street marches and social `jingbang' are fine but

how much do these fit into our societies and communities,

particularly in rural and urban middle class minds. Instead, we have

forgotten to borrow one important aspect of this epidemic- provision

of treatment facilities to our already infected, be it ARV or OI

management. We just talk of HIV being a chronic manageable illness,

but how do we make it manageable without treatment facilities. Yes,

we do not have the finances to go about it. But we have enough of

them to " celebrate " WAD and conduct street marches.

Isn't it strange, but unfortunately true.

Yours……

` trying to understand this epidemic'

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