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what held people back was the unknown that lies on the back of being found HIV positive. In fact, many people very much know – and fear – what, lies ahead of such a scenario.
They well imagine their wasting away with disease while people point fingers at them. There would be other more urgent and probing fingers.
“Imagine,” she challenged, “that daughter of yours who has not done anything having to suffer for your indiscretions. Sometimes the woman you would have contracted the virus from is someone you have nothing to do with and one you might already have forgotten.”
This kind of conversation obviously sets a train of introspection as conscience probes and gnaws, at worst. It should, in any person. One gets thinking about the risky behaviour that they would have engaged in at some point or the other.
This could well have jeopardised the family and even the unborn. For others, it helps to understand the virtue of staying true and safe. But this small episode highlights some critical points concerning HIV, as the world yesterday joined hands in commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the World Aids Day.
There are things that flow from the conversation namely, the issues of HIV infection or avoidance thereof; knowing one’s status and disclosure thereof and stigma and discrimination against those found HIV+. Interestingly, this year’s World Aids Day was being commemorated under the global theme “Getting to Zero: Zero new infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths.” It emphasises eliminating new infections, stigma and discrimination; and Aids related deaths. Surely, Zero is a winning number after all! It is within everyone’s power to actively hold strong these pillars in the response to the HIV pandemic. It is as unfortunate as it is foolish that in a country where condoms are as ubiquitous as they are cheap – going for as low as one rand – some people do not take the very necessary step to protect themselves.
The message is loud and clear, not only against having multiple concurrent sexual partners, but also as counsel that when nature calls, people must protect themselves and their partners. It follows that as a responsible family man or woman, one has to eliminate the risk of getting infected or infecting, which has far reaching consequences. We hear there is this particular saying made a refrain by a top politician in the country that goes something to this effect: “Kana mafunga kuridza ngoma yeZion pfekai magamenzi.”
Loosely, should one find the temptation too strong, they must protect themselves. Only, sometimes, even these leaders choose not to put on the sacred Zion garments themselves. Responsibility also entails everyone to eliminate stigma and discrimination that not only breaks families and societies but also criminalises those that are infected. In some instances even the affected are criminalised and painted with the same brush as the infected and you hear children being called “Aids orphans” and so forth. Sometimes the mere fact that someone’s parents are HIV+ can be enough to earn, unfairly, a child discrimination and stigmatisation.
This state of affairs presupposes that anyone infected is guilty of promiscuity. It is common cause today that stable, long term relationships are a breeding ground for HIV. This has led to the observation that HIV and Aids is a moral issue. This is only but true.
The problem lies when it is so highly moralised as to cloud people’s judgement and ability to rationally act upon the phenomenon. Times have been when families fail to seek treatment for a member who had been regarded as loose and promiscuous.
The result is that these people waste away in the most awful manner, without food and medicines, while the high-minded relatives choose to close their consciences to the poor sufferer. Little do they know how depraved and wretched within! Clearly, the Government has done a great deal in bringing down the prevalence of HIV from the peak of nearly 30 percent in the late 1990s to the present when the prevalence is down to around 13 percent.
Government has employed a multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary response headlined by the provision of information and treatment. As a matter of fact, the UNAIDS World Aids Report 2011 cites Zimbabwe as one of the countries that have done well in providing treatment. Of course, that so many people are receiving life-prolonging drugs, ARVs poses its own challenges.
More and more people are living with HIV, rather than dying. How the country and the world – lives with this situation depends on actions of Governments in securing clean supplies of drugs and to see to it that there are no new infections. As the Government is composed of people – mortal beings – it asks of leaders to lead by example.
Sometime ago President Mugabe noted that some Government officials, were being engaged in HIV-fuelling activities. Some politicians have made irresponsible remarks about HIV and people living with HIV. Some Government officials’ cars have been seen at unseemly places and others picking up school children for reasons far from the charitable.
This is disgraceful. Politicians must lead the way in responding to the HIV challenge. It does not reflect positively on our leadership when they involve themselves in fuelling that which they must douse.
Lastly, Africans have a real challenge to fight HIV and Aids so that it no longer wears a black, sub-Saharan face. The region is most the affected by HIV and suffers deaths in the millions.
Online Reporter