As part of its HIV & AIDS advocacy campaign, Christ for the Downtrodden Ministry organised a seminar at Industrial village Razhupe, Dimapur on March 6. Supported by the Legislators’ Forum on AIDS – Nagaland, alleviating stigma and discrimination, while generating awareness on HIV prevention, was the objective of the seminar.
In the words of Dimapur Network of Dimapur Network of People Living with HIV & AIDS (DNP+) president, the fear of stigma and discrimination is the main factor preventing HIV+ positive from seeking help. “Fearing discrimination (from the society at large), many people affected by HIV are apprehensive of disclosing their status. We’re thus forced to remain underground, resulting in further spread of HIV, undetected,” said the DNP+ president, who spoke as a resource person at the seminar.
Social, institutional, physical and verbal are four common forms of discrimination, faced by and people living with HIV, which needs to be addressed. Being treated as social pariahs, inability to get a means of livelihood, at the receiving end of abusive remarks, and even being chased out of homes, including rented dwellings, the DNP+ president said are some of the forms of discrimination.
The other resource persons were Dr. Temsu, senior specialist at the district hospital, and a member of the District AIDS Prevention & Control Unit (DAPCU).
