Gambia - Forum discourages stigmatisation, discrimination against HIV/AIDS patients

The director of the National Aids Secretariat (NAS), Ousman Badjie, at the occasion, disclosed that the number of people living with AIDS in 2001 was 34 million, with sub-Saharan Africa severely affected.

 “In that part of the world we are told that 1 in every 20 adults were living with HIV and ADIS, which also accounted for more than 69% of people living with HIV and AIDS worldwide,” he indicated.

Against this backdrop, the NAS boss said there has been call for a radical shift in scaling the global response to HIV/AIDS. Even though the medical community is yet to find a cure for the virus, Badjie said treatments and preventions pay dividend and that a right-base approached must spearhead efforts towards the ultimate goal of getting to zero infection. 

He stressed that for stigma and discrimination to be overcome, effective response is required in halting this disastrous disease that has claimed more lives. He reminded that a United Nations declaration on the elimination of AIDs in 2001tasked nations to enact, strengthen or enforce appropriate legislations and regulations and other measures towards the elimination of  stigma and discrimination against people living with the AIDs virus. 

Badjie said in the same year, the Commission on Human Rights adapted a resolution which also highlighted numerous approaches towards eliminating stigmatisation and discrimination.

Dr. Adama Sallah of the Lamtoro Medical Clinic lamented that there has been substantial increase in the number of people living with HIV and ADIS. He also indicated that there are many more antenatal women with HIV positive who have received ARV to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease.

”For African countries to achieve their national policy objectives on HIV and AIDS, the issue of stigma and discrimination need to be addressed,” he stressed.

Fatou Jatta of the Santa Yalla Support Society gave a testimony of her status, indicating that she has not been stigmatised or discriminated. She however associated stigmatisation and discrimination to ignorance, while commenting on the contribution of the HIV/AIDS patients to the economic development of societies including The Gambia.