Stigmatization and Discrimination Against People Living With Hiv

8/8/2019 Stigmatization and Discrimination Against People Living With Hiv

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STIGMATIZATION AND

DISCRIMINATION

AGAINST PEOPLE

LIVING WITHHIV/AIDS -what Christian

leaders should know.

Dr Philip Adebayo

Dept. of Medicine,OOUTH,Sagamu


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INTRODUCTION

HIV/AIDS FACTS

DEFINING STIGMA/DISCRIMINATION

HIV/AIDS STIGMA/DISCRIMINATION

THE CHURCH AND HIV/AIDS STIGMA

CONCLUSION


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AIDS was first recognized in the U.S in1981 when the CDC reported the

unexplained occurrence of pneumocystiscarinii pneumonia in 5 previously healthyhomosexual men in Los Angeles and ofkaposis sarcoma in 26 previously healthy

homosexual men in New York and LosAngeles

In 1984 HIV was demonstrated clearly tobe the causative agent of AIDS

A diagnosis of HIV/AIDS is a life changingevent, where persons must deal with a lifethreatening, debilitating disease and itsassociated stigma and isolation


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The stigmatization and discriminationassociated with HIV/AIDS prevents a

great many of the 42 million people livingwith HIV/AIDS around the world fromseeking treatment for and informationabout the disease

HIV/AIDS continues to growexponentially, especially in Africa, Asiaand Eastern Europe, killing 3 millionpeople around the world every year.

These are among the main causes for thelimited success achieved during the 25

years of struggle against the disease


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HIV related stigma is increasinglynoted as the single greatest challenge to

slowing the spread of the disease(RaoGupta 2001)

Strickingly,HIV/AIDS has become aspotlight revealing the conditions in our

community life, revealing ourinhumanity to one another and unjuststructure.

The challenge to the church is to be

better involved, more active and morefaithful to the gospel of reconciliation inher own lives and in the community.


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The church is uniquely placed to combatHIV/AIDS at all levels from the individual

to the global and to protect themarginalized and most vulnerable in thesociety. We are compelled by thelife,example,death,and resurrection of

our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ to love,think and act.(kampala declaration of All

Africa Council of Churches 2001)


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HIV/AIDS FACTS

AIDS-Acquired Immune DeficiencySyndrome

HIV-Human ImmunodeficiencyVirus.Responsible for AIDS

First case identified in Nigeria in 1986

HIV prevalence rose from 1.8% in 1988 to5.8 in 2001

IN 2005 it was estimated there were220,000 deaths from AIDS and 930,000AIDS orphan living in Nigeria.


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Global HIV/AIDS estimates, end of 2006

Estimates Range

PLWHA in 2006 39.5 million 34.1- 47.1 million

Adults living HIV/AIDS 37.2 million 32.1- 44.5 million

Women with HIV/AIDS 17.7 million 15.1- 20.9 million

Children with HIV/AIDS 2.3 million 1.7- 3.5 million

People newly infected 4.3 million 3.6- 6.6 million

Adults newly infected 3.8 million 3.2- 5.7 million

Children newly infected 0.53 million 0.41- 0.66 million

AIDS deaths 2.9 million 2.5- 3.5 million

Adults AIDS deaths 2.6 million 2.2-3.0 million

Child AIDS deaths 0.38 million 0.29-0.50 million


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How HIV is transmitted

1. Heterosexual sex- 80%

2. Transfusion of blood and bloodproducts-10%

3.Mother to-child transmission 4.Injecting drug use

5.homosexual sex.


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Global trends

Global trends


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Factors contributing to spread

of HIV in Nigeria

1.Lack of sexual health information andeducation

2. Stigma and discrimination

3. Poor healthcare services

4. Prostitution

5. Some cultural practises teenagemarriage, female circumcision/femalegenital mutilation.


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DEFINING STIGMA AND

DISCRIMINATION

There are multiple insight into theconcept of stigma

The central ideas on the subjects --- 1 a stigma is a negative mark which is

attributed to a person.

2 stigma leads to a negative value

judgement. 3The process of stigmatization has

negative influence on the stigmatized


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Stigma is an attribute that is deeplydiscrediting that reduces the bearer froma whole and usual person to atainted,discounted one(Goffman 1963)

Discrimination refers to any form of

distinction, exclusion or restrictionaffecting a person by virtue of a personalcharacteristic(gilmore & simeville 1994)

Discrimination is often a result of

stigmatization


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Stigma has been documented with otherinfectious diseases likeTB,syphillis and

leprosy Stigma is most frequently associated with

diseases that havesevere,disfiguring,incurable and

progressive outcomes. It is especially common with those whose

modes of transmission are perceived to beunder control of individual behaviour.

It is also common with diseases that areperceived to result from the transgressionof social norms e.g socially unsanctionedactivities.


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HIV/AIDS STIGMA AND

DISCRIMINATION AIDS related stigma has been defined asall stigma directed at persons perceivedto be infected with HIV ,regardless of

whether they are actually infected andwhether they manifest symptoms ofAIDS or AIDS-related complex (HEREK& GLUNT,1988.

Factors contributing to the HIV/AIDSassociated stigma.

1.It is a life threatening disease


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2.People are scared of contracting HIV

3.It is associated with behaviours that arealready stigmatized in many societies

4.People living with HIV/AIDS are oftenthought of as being responsible for

becoming infected

5.Religious or moral beliefs lead somepeople to believe that having HIV/AIDSis the result of moral fault that deservesto be punished


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THE CHURCH AND HIV/AIDS

STIGMA The silence and the passive attitude of

the church has allowed not only thespread of HIV/AIDS but its associated

stigmatization.

REASONS

1.Some Christian leaders havemisconceptions about the disease and

how it is contracted 2.Associations with PLWHA mightdesecrate the Lords temple


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3.The Christian leader does not want tobe seen as indirectly approving ofimmorality by discussing sex in churchsettings.

4.Outside the church he is equally

unwilling to advocate the use of condomsto prevent the spread of AIDS

5.indecision about wanting to talk about itor not.


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Pertinent questions for the

Christian leaders to think upon

1.Are we sure our members are 100%faithful and 100% abstinent?

2.Do the celibate practice celibacy? 3.How do we know for sure that a newly

diagnosed has brought this onthemselves?

4.Even if they did bring HIV/AIDS onthemselves ,do they deserve our anger &loathing or our compassion and care?


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What Christian leaders can do

1.Educate members on HIV/AIDS 2.Provide workers to help educate

and challenge the church.

3.We should let the secularcommunity know that Christians docare.

4.Formulate set of guidelines thatwill guide the church in developingher own interventional strategies.


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Contd

5.Reach to those infected with the diseasethrough the Love of Jesus by developingcare and support at individual, familyand community levels

6.Help Government to expedite itsresponse to HIV/AIDS human rightissues, implement policies and enactlegislation.

7.Constant empowerment and re-empowerment from the Holy Ghost-zech.4;6


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CONCLUSION

The burden of HIV is so enormous that itwill be suicidal for the church, her visionand mission if she decides to be silent.

Religions,denominations,and churches

cannot conquer AIDS alone but it will nothappen without us.-Bishop Felton EdwinMay.

People living with HIV/ADS are people

like every one else. they are neither to bediscriminated nor condemned.

Even with HIV ,HE Intends Victory.


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THANKYOU

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Stigmatization and Discrimination Against People Living With Hiv

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