MEDICAL DIRECTOR CALLS FOR END TO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS
The Medical Director of General Hospital, Ifako Ijaiye, Dr. Bamidele Mustapha, has called for urgent action to end discrimination, stigmatisation and other untoward behaviour against People Living with HIV/AIDs.
Dr. Mustapha made the call on Wednesday in his address at a programme organised by the hospital to mark the Year 2021 World AIDS Day with the theme: “End Inequalities, End AIDS, End Pandemic”, explaining that AIDS is a pandemic confronted with cultural, social and gender inequalities hampering its care and management.
He said: “In some cultures, it is difficult for females to go to the hospital without permission from their husbands. Some people have more money than others so they can access care more than others and females are disproportionately affected by this disease”.
“Today we are calling for an end to all these inequalities associated with access to HIV/AIDS diagnosis, treatment and care. There should be equality in access to care irrespective of your social status, sex, race, tribe and level of education, Dr. Mustapha added.
The Medical Director further stated that non-disclosure of status out of fear of stigmatisation, non-adherence to drug prescription and funding, among others, are the challenges facing people living with AIDS.
In her own remarks, the Head of Community Health Department of the hospital, Dr. Ime Okon, affirmed that globally December 1 of every year is dedicated to creating more awareness about the disease as well as showing solidarity with people who have tested positive and living with the virus.
“It is also an opportunity to remember those who have died due to AIDS-related illnesses and also to reemphasise that being HIV positive is not a death sentence. You can live longer and healthier and have the best of life despite being infected with the disease”, she added.
She noted that indiscriminate sex and the culture of multiple sex partners encourage the spread of the disease.
“We want to implore people to be faithful to their partners, use condoms correctly and consistently, avoid sharing of sharp objects and transfusion of unsafe blood”, Dr. Okon advised.
