There was once a turantula called Bruce who decided to take a walk in the park. Suddenly HAVOC!!! People were scared of him. Some screamed their heads off, some tried to stamp on him, others simply ran. Bruce was shaken. All he had wanted to do was to take a walk in the park and enjoy the sunshine.
This is what people living with HIV and AIDS experience on a regular basis. The stigma that surrounds their existence can prove a crushing blow. The negative attitudes and maltreatment that they endure on a daily basis can be devastating enough to stop them from getting on with their lives.
In both the short and long term it doesn’t do the individual or society any good. The individual can end up being shunned by family and the wider community. On a community level, those who may be carrying the HIV virus may refuse to go and get tested for fear that they too may end up being rejected by others. This puts others at risk of contracting the virus from them because they are unaware of their HIV status. Stigma can also exist at the government level and prevent action being taken against the pandemic. This has been the case in many countries.
What we end up with is a bicycle with no brakes going at high speed down a hill. The situation goes out of control for everyone involved.
Without breaking down the barriers of stigma people will always be fearful of HIV and AIDS. When you fear something you cannot overcome it. If you cannot overcome it, you will not be able to take the first steps to stopping it. The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) said in a hadith: “Be merciful to those on earth, so that the One above the heavens (God) will be merciful to you.” We need to let this saying guide our actions towards people living with HIV and AIDS. Without mercy and compassion we do an injustice to others and to ourselves.
This is what people living with HIV and AIDS experience on a regular basis. The stigma that surrounds their existence can prove a crushing blow. The negative attitudes and maltreatment that they endure on a daily basis can be devastating enough to stop them from getting on with their lives.
In both the short and long term it doesn’t do the individual or society any good. The individual can end up being shunned by family and the wider community. On a community level, those who may be carrying the HIV virus may refuse to go and get tested for fear that they too may end up being rejected by others. This puts others at risk of contracting the virus from them because they are unaware of their HIV status. Stigma can also exist at the government level and prevent action being taken against the pandemic. This has been the case in many countries.
What we end up with is a bicycle with no brakes going at high speed down a hill. The situation goes out of control for everyone involved.
Without breaking down the barriers of stigma people will always be fearful of HIV and AIDS. When you fear something you cannot overcome it. If you cannot overcome it, you will not be able to take the first steps to stopping it. The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) said in a hadith: “Be merciful to those on earth, so that the One above the heavens (God) will be merciful to you.” We need to let this saying guide our actions towards people living with HIV and AIDS. Without mercy and compassion we do an injustice to others and to ourselves.
I think stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS , it is due to media , terms were used and linking the HIV and AIDS with homosexuality made this kind of stigma.
ReplyDeletewe need to work on what terms and messages that media delivering to the communities
Also , merciful when dealing with people living with HIV and AIDS should be with respecting to there felling , without pity.
when we deal with HIV and AIDS issue as some thing could be happens for any one of us , we may be able to breaking down the barriers of stigma.