GRPA joins effort to address stigma, discrimination against PLWHA

Aug 29, 2008 News

There is need for every Guyanese to become actively involved in measures geared at reducing stigma and discrimination being levelled against Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).
This notion has been emphasised by officials at the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), who as a result streamlined a workshop specifically intended to hear the concerns of these individuals.
The workshop which commenced Tuesday last at the Regency Suites, Hadfield Street, Georgetown, ended yesterday with officials having a clearer idea of the way forward.
According to GRPA Executive Director, Dr Frederick Cox, the workshop came into being through GRPA’s collaboration with the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation (CFPA) Limited.
He pointed out that it is because of the notable negative impact that stigma and discrimination have on PLWHA that it is absolutely necessary for all citizens to play an integral role in reversing the unacceptable trend.
The media, additionally, has a pivotal role in helping to keep such issues on the front burner, Cox related.
For this reason, he pointed out that members of the media will be sensitised by Chief Executive Officer of CFPA, Dr Tirbani Jagdeo, at a forum slated for today at his (Cox’s) GRPA office.
With the intent of promoting responsible sexual behaviour and reproductive health through information, education and services, the GRPA has been taking the lead in promoting a number of programmes.
Another move to address the stigma and discrimination level against PLWHA was recently unveiled by the National AIDS Committee (NAC).
In this regard, the NAC conducted a survey which revealed that the problem of stigma and discrimination against PLWHA continues to be a major challenge and is most prevalent within families.
The survey was funded by a grant from PANCAP, and was conducted over a three-week period across nine regions targeting primarily PLWHA in a bid to assess the impact of stigma and discrimination on those infected.
By interviewing 300 PLWHA, the survey revealed low levels of discrimination defined as ‘unfair treatment’ with regards to accessing antiretrovirals, care and support, and at the workplace, but highlighted that there is substantial stigma and discrimination or “non-acceptance” of them in families, religious organisations and even in some isolated cases, by medical personnel.
At least 48 per cent of the respondents revealed that they were discriminated against by family members.
It was revealed that the respondents comprised 60 per cent female and 40 per cent male, with almost two thirds being residents of Region Four.
Interesting, too, was the fact that almost all of them had been HIV positive between one and five years ago and a further 21 per cent between six and 10 years.
It was observed that the infection rate was most prevalent among the 30-39 age group.
According to representatives of the NAC, respondents were asked to rate a number of situations as improving, deteriorating or remaining the same and were comfortable to relate accurate information since the nine interviewers were also PLWHA.
The revelations of the survey had engaged the attention of officials at the Ministry of Health, the National Aids Programme Secretariat, Non-Governmental Organisations and other concerned agencies that are tasked with planning programmes to combat the virus and its effects with a view to having the problems of PLWHA addressed.

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GRPA joins effort to address stigma, discrimination against PLWHA

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