Mokokchung, November 30 (MExN): Even years after different NGOs and agencies recognized ‘stigma and discrimination’ as one of the biggest hurdles in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the society, People Living with HIV/AIDS or PLHAs still face and cope with discriminations in the society. This was revealed by the ‘Network of Mokokchung District People Living with HIV/AIDS’ (NMP+) president, Toshi Sangpi in a telephonic interview on the eve of World AIDS Day here this evening.
The NMP+ President, Toshi Sangpi while saying that the fight against HIV/AIDS has come a long way, however lamented that for the PLHAs, ‘stigma and discrimination’ remains the biggest problem in the society. He said that there is still a long way to go to dispel the ‘myths and misconceptions’ instilled in the mind of the people regarding HIV/AIDS, and therefore called upon the different NGOs and especially the churches to focus on this aspect. He lamented that due to fear of stigma and discrimination, those infected with the virus are unwilling to come out openly, which is posing a big problem because, those infected people who are refusing to come out are knowingly or unknowingly spreading the disease in the society.
When asked to cite some instances of discrimination, Sangpi disclosed that sometimes when people shake hands with PLHAs, they would go and wash hands with ‘bottled mineral water’ somewhere. “And those are the intellectuals in the society,” lamented Sangpi. He also disclosed that children infected with the disease are also discriminated like other students don’t want to sit with them and the like. Even the children of PLHAs are discriminated because other parents would advice their children not to play with the PLHAs sons or daughters. “The society needs to focus on stigma and discrimination. We need a visibility in the society.
When we say visibility or to come out openly, it’s not that we want funds, or sympathy or anything, we just want to be visible so that we can also help in curbing the spread of the disease in the society,” the NMP+ president asserted.
Interestingly, he revealed that there are 1000 positive people identified in Mokokchung ICTC in the district; however there are only 401 registered members with the NMP+ till now. He pointed out that in the European and other western countries, the problem of HIV/AIDS could be curbed successfully because the PLHAs came out openly in the society and there was no stigma and discrimination in the society.
Unfortunately in our society, HIV/AIDS was wrongly associated with immoral sexual activities or drug addiction and therefore PLHAs were either regarded as immoral or drug addicts, which was very wrong. He said that the society need to relook into the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS if it really wants to curb the disease. As long as PLHAs feel afraid to come out with their status, then the disease would continue to spread, he maintained.
Nonetheless, Sanpi disclosed that the NMP+ is doing its part to remove the stigma and discrimination on HIV/AIDs through different programmes like ‘peer-educators programme’ where fifty people have been trained on positive living and spread awareness in different areas to remove the myths and misconceptions associated with the disease. Besides, the NMP+ is also carrying out a programme sponsored by Bharti Infratel, where they go to all the villages in the district educating the people on HIV/AIDS and give life testimonies etc, so that the people can be more aware.
“After conducting such programme, there have been positive response from the public and some said that they had feared HIV/AIDS more than the devil, and said that they would not think so anymore,” said Sangpi while speaking about their activities. Nonetheless, Sangpi on the occasion of the World AIDS Day to be observed on December 1 on the theme ‘getting to zero’ urged every section of the society to refocus on ‘stigma and discrimination’ on HIV/AIDS in the society so that the PLHAs can also live life with dignity and be responsible members of the society, and those fearful PLHAs ‘in hiding’ can also come out openly about their status and stop the spread of the disease in the society.
It may be noted that NMP+, established in January 2008, is a government registered NGO actively working in the field of HIV/AIDS and also the welfare of the PLHAs in Mokokchung district.
