Liberia National AIDS Commission Chairperson, Theodosia Kolee, has called on the general Liberian public to avoid stigmatizing people with HIV and AIDS or reject them because it no longer kills instantly as before; writes Ojuku Silver-tongue Kangar, Jr.
“People with the virus are on treatment and can live longer these days. It is no longer as it was in 1986 when the virus entered Liberia, leaving loved ones rejected and dead soon because it had no treatment at the time,” Kolee said.
HIV is human immunodeficiency virus, which belongs to a group of viruses called retroviruses. It attacks the white blood cells within the immune system. AIDS stands for “acquired immune deficiency syndrome”. It is an umbrella term for the illness that occurs due to having untreated HIV infection for several years, by which point the immune system is severely damaged and unable to fight off the infection.
The world aims to end the virus by 2030 through the triple 95s methods, which is, those with the virus should be treated, those being treated should be on treatment and those on treatment should suppress the virus. It outlined several things to be implemented by national governments and others.
“Liberia can’t afford to be left behind. Everyone is invited, as the country is a global partner to eliminate AIDS,” Kolee said.
The clarion call by the world to eradicate the pandemic needs strong political will here for affected people to have freedom in moving about and taking treatment. The National Legislature is being called upon to pass a legislation that prohibits stigmatizing and discriminating against those with HIV or AIDS. If it works, it could make it easier for the population with the disease to be known publicly. Observers believe that those with the virus here hardly declare themselves overtly for fear of discrimination.
“We call on policymakers, the National Legislature to repeal all discriminatory laws that have been passed for those with the disease,” members of the commission said in a uniformity tone in a press conference. “Those living with the virus should have access to all forms of human dignity,” they added.
The commission has called on the media, public and others to openly campaign for anti-stigmatization and anti-discrimination for those living with the virus. This, according to them, will enable those in hiding to show up.
“No one should be denied health service because he or she has the virus,” Chairperson Kolle said.
The anti-stigmatization campaign will be launch soon. December 1, 2021 is World AIDS Day, and national and international partners from around the world will form part of the campaign. 2013’s survey revealed 35,000 people in the population with the disease, but up-to-date figure on the population is unknown, according to the AIDS Commissioner.
The campaign will focus on viral monitoring, distribution of materials, regular mass media activities–press conferences, talk shows, and so on—to educate the public to stop neglecting those with the disease and embrace them as normal citizens.
“We need domestic volunteers, financiers, to form strong partnership to mitigate the viral disease,” Kolee said, frowning on those who continually reject diagnosed HIV patients.