MALAWI: ECM Health Commission Rebukes Discriminatory Behavior toward People With HIV/AIDS
Demetria Banda
Catholic National Health Coordinator under Episcopal conference of Malawi (ECM) Ms. Bertha Magomero has rebuked discriminatory behaviors among some people towards people living with HIV and AIDS saying there is more life to knowing one’s status than living in denial.
Magomero made these remarks in an interview on Thursday in the area of traditional authority Liwonde, Machinga during supervisory meeting with ECM Expert Clients, Faith Leader and HIV self-testing kits distributors who are working under FCI project.
“It’s sad to note that even relatives are in the forefront discriminating people living with HIV and AIDS: this is uncalled for. These people are living healthy lives than those untested. We are all equal and need to support and encourage each other so that those with HIV should also participate in church activities as well as country’s development work. In so doing our country will be a better place to live,” said Magomero
Magomero added that discriminatory behavior towards people living with HIV is leading a lot of men and boys who tested positive for HIV not to accept their results and shun the anti-retrovirals (ARVs) which is leading to further spread of the virus.
Bob Baston an expert client belonging to Mankhamba heath center concurred with Magomero saying a lot of men and boys who are HIV positive shun their medication because of the bad treatment they get from friends and relatives.
“As expert clients we have noted that a lot of men find it difficult to disclose their HIV status to avoid being discriminated against by their friends and relatives,” said Baston.
One of the men who have resumed taking ARVs after being convinced by the Expert Clients Thomas Namulu said that he stopped taking the ARVs as a result of stigma from his family.
“I tested positive in 1983 and started taking ARVs the same year. It was difficult to accept that I will be taking them for the rest of my life though I accepted the fact later but due to how my family was treating me I stopped because I convinced myself that it’s better to die than to live with HIV/ AIDS. When I was visited by the expert clients I was convinced that I can still live happily with HIV, so I decided to start taking ARVs again, a decision I will never regret.
On the same, Kenneth Simon from Machinga regretted stopping taking ARVs as he says he started getting sick now and again the time he stopped.
“I was tired of taking the medication because I was feeling fine and heath. This made me forget that am HIV positive. But the time I stopped taking the medicine, I noticed that my health status was not well, so I was always weak until one day when one of the volunteers visited me and explained the importance of taking the ARVs. I then decided go to hospital and start afresh. I can say I am healthy now than I was the time I was not taking my medication,” said Simon.
He further advised all people on ARV treatment never to stop taking them to avoid experiencing what he experienced.
Joseph James a Faith Leader from St Patrick’s out station of Mofolo Woyera Parish said they will continue doing their work of spreading the messages of hope to men and boys which has helped in helping more men to realize the importance of knowing their HIV status.
“Since the project started a lot of boys and men have seen the importance of HIV testing and they are responding to the messages,” said James.
FCI project is being implemented in Machinga district in the area of Traditional authority Kawinga and Liwonde as well as Mangochi district in the area of traditional authority Chilipa and Nankumba with funding from USAID under Health Policy Plus (HP+).
