On reducing HIV/AIDS related stigma

September 19, 2003

Dear Forum Members,

As a lot of discussions are going on about VCTC, Screening in villages,

Stigma,etc let me add a few of my comments.

I am from an intervention project in Kerala. From our experiences the stigma can

only be avoided until there arises a time for the +ves to open up their minds

and admit being +ve and lead a normal life.

Such a situation can be arrived only when we people working for this noble cause

willing to accommodate one of the +ves to our team. Let the positive be from the

same community or area where we intervene or work. As they work with us like any

of our colleagues this will be a clear-cut example for the public that the

disease is not to something be afraid of. If such a situation is created we can

show-forth that:

1) To live or work HIV +ves is not a deadly thing but, as normal as any thing

else.

2) Other +ves come to know about will have a positive attitude towards life and

living

3) If the positive speaker himself talks to the +ves it will be more effective

than others

Always remember that stigma is not that something can be up-rooted within a day.

And again don't think that fearing stigma is an excuse to void from our

commitment. We will have to cope up with. Do remember that even leprosy couldn't

overcome stigma after all working these many years. So it will be in the case of

HIV/AIDS too.

What I have written is from my own personal experience. We have accommodated one

of the +ves to our project and she is working so satisfied for the last nine

months. Remember, only very recently Kerala State AIDS Control Society has

included the post of a Positive Speaker to its intervention projects. Our staff

never said she was a positive to the public nor did she make any campaign

openly. But her presence with our staff and doing work like any one of us have

changed the attitude of the community. To say frankly, now there are +ves coming

forward admitting their status. Ours is a rural area and we feel stigma is not

the Himalayan problem. Of course, there are problems, fear, prejudice, etc.

deep-rooted. But, can't we face these? Is it not time up to up-root them? Are

there no solutions to these? Let us hope for the best and over come the worst.

ph,

Project Manager,EYM-PSH, Project,

Mavelikara, Kerala.

E-mail: jamesvaricat@...

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