A clip from The Reporter, Society Page
|
A clip from The Reporter, Society Page |
By Abebe Tadesse, The Reporter, Society Page
In the absence of any leading public figures coming out with the desire to be tested, the levels of stigma are likely to remain very high despite the growing AIDS case rate. The need to remain silent regarding HIV status is the norm for most people.
Don’t we have HIV-positive leading public figures? When would they get the courage to come out and teach the people about HIV/AIDS? Even if they don’t want to disclose their blood test results, they should come to the forefront and take the test publicly.Arkebe Ouqubay, Mayor of Addis Ababa City, was once seen on a TV show while giving blood for HIV Test. This is a courageous act whether the public knows his blood test results or not. If he were willing to disclose his blood test result, it would be much better. By taking Arkebe’s move as a courageous action, a billboard depicting his profile and another picture of him while undergoing HIV test was unveiled last Friday at the Churchill Road. The billboard was unveiled by three Olympic gold and bronze medallist, Major DerartuTulu, and Miss World Ethiopia 2003, Hayat Ahmed.
At the unveiling ceremony, Major Derartu said, “the role of leadership to persuade the public for voluntary HIV test is decisive to bring about meaningful change in the war against the spread of HIV/AIDS.” Hayat said, “The damage wrought by HIV/AIDS to mankind is one of the worst in history and there is no alternative other than fighting it in an integrated manner. Women should attach high importance to voluntary HIV testing because they are the prime victims of the pandemic.” However, unfortunately the billboard failed to stand long against the heavy rain that took place on the same day. The damaged and fallen billboard is now being maintained and refurbished to be erected again. We now have tests for the presence of the virus that are as efficient and reliable as almost any diagnostic test in medicine. An individual who tests positive can be presumed with near certainty to carry the virus, whether he/she has the virus or not.
Voluntary testing is a protection for oneself and for sex partners as well as for the uncontaminated and unborn children. We know that AIDS is transmissible from male to female, from female to male and from parent to conceived. We are dealing not just with protection of the innocent but also with an essential step to contain the spread of an epidemic as tragic and as horrible as any that has befallen modern man. Certainly there are those who would prefer ambiguity to certitude. However, a person who is at risk and refuses to have himself/herself tested must behave as though he/she had been tested and found positive. To do otherwise is cowardice compounding hypocrisy with wrongdoing.The emphasis should be on the need for mature and thoughtful behavior. Abstinence, or at least a monogamous relationship, is still the best way to avoid sexually transmitted disease.
Although the principal source of infection is sexual activity, there is a misconception that eating, drinking and living together could spread HIV virus from positive ones to negative ones. Misconceptions regarding transmissions still persist in rural areas as well as in urban areas. Stigmatization of HIV victims is found even among those with a sound knowledge of the disease.The knowledge of HIV transmission, on the whole, is fairly comprehensive among the young people. Peer education, formal and informal, has demonstrated as an effective strategy for reducing at-risk behavior. However, it is not fully comprehended that the concept of protection is something, which is a deliberate action, through the isolation of those infected.
Much concern has been raised over the growing number of AIDS orphans estimated to number 1.2 million. Traditional family care systems for such children are breaking down because of the economic and health stresses on their caretakers. AIDS orphans also face many problems relating to social marginalisation and economic survival. The growing number of street children can be attributed to the increase in AIDS orphans, who are forced to move out of their homes, due to either ostracization and/or the lack of community support in their home areas.
The spread of HIV/AIDS has been mostly unhindered in Ethiopia, and it is reasonable to say governmental intervention has had very little impact on the course of the epidemic. The government’s response was too inadequate in formulation, extent and timing to have had any impact on the spread of HIV. And the complex nature of the epidemic required an institutional response beyond the means and resources of the government.
Although international agencies are pouring millions of dollars into wide--scale publicity campaigns to stop the spread of AIDS, results have been mixed.AIDS prevention efforts must be genuine and there should be no room for window dressing and health department officials must not consider AIDS as the responsibility of individuals only but also as the responsibility of the government.
It is believed that an effective vaccine for AIDS will not appear on the scene in the near future. In the foreseeable future, communication and education are the only preventive tools we have available to teach people that they need not die of ignorance.