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“Major hurdles” in AIDS Fight

MYTHS ABOUT THE DISEASE, stigma and discrimination faced by people living with it and not enough hard cash to finance projects are among challenges to Barbados' HIV/AIDS battle.

And while there has been some success in the campaign, a radical change in attitudes is still needed in engaging a disease whose pace continues to outstrip the response.

These statements were made by two key figures in the fight against the killer disease - Chairperson of the National HIV/AIDS Commission, Dr Carol Jacobs, and Clinical Director of the HIV/AIDS Programme at Ladymeade Reference Unit, Dr Nicholas Adomakoh, yesterday - World AIDS Day.

"It is still very frightening that, over 20 years into the epidemic, there are still people who . . . believe in the myths as to how you can get this disease . . .," Jacobs said during a news briefing shared with Anglican Bishop Reverend John Holder on the Church's co-operation in the fight.

"Probably the most common ones are that you can get infected by a mosquito bite or an insect bite, that you can get (HIV) from a toilet seat, and that if you are HIV positive and you have sex with a virgin that's one way to (be cured) . . . ."

Jacobs said Africa had similar myths and they had helped in the decimation of its countries by the disease. She conceded that inadequate funding was hampering the HIV/AIDS campaign, with a $350 000 educational project targeting men still without financial backing.

"Every year we are putting it in the Estimates, and we are still not able to find the money and that is just one campaign . . .," she said. "It's to find the sponsors, because it can't all come from Government."

Jacobs admitted there had been an increase in condom usage but pointed out "it's nowhere near enough". There were "significant numbers of young people" who understood the risks involved but were still not using condoms, she disclosed.

"We are not going to get anywhere unless people, especially young people, change the pattern of their behaviour," said Bishop Holder, who is chairman of the faith-based committee of the National HIV/AIDS Committee. "It's a real challenge because . . . sex is sold as being the only commodity on sale in the world and many people are caught up into that . . . ."
In an interview with the SATURDAY SUN, Adomakoh said key issues in the HIV/AIDS campaign were "stigma and discrimination". He added: "If we can break that particular impediment to people accessing services and accessing information and accessing . . . interventions, then I think we are going to go a long way to addressing this issue of HIV transmission."

Source: www.nationnews.com



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It is a cruel reality that there is a general attitude of aloofness and disdain towards the issues of HIV/AIDS. Those infected often find themselves battered by the hands of alienation and stigmatisation. In many instances, those who engage in sexual practices that put them at risk prefer to live in denial than face life as an infected person.

Through this comprehensive web portal, we here at the Ministry of Health hope to combat the many ideologies and practices that promote and perpetuate behaviours that may lead to HIV/AIDS infection. We also want to assure those who are at risk and those who have been infected that are places to go and communities that care.

We welcome you to Barbados HIV/AIDS Information Portal and hope that the information provided will be of value to you.

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