Widespread stigma undermining international AIDS promises

The stigma associated with HIV works as a barrier to medical advances by preventing people affected by HIV from accessing testing or treatment services

Current efforts to fight AIDS, including international commitments to achieve universal access to treatment, care and support by 2010, will fail if the pervasive stigma faced by people living with HIV is not tackled more aggressively.

According to Unveiling the Truth, a new report published today , hospitals, clinics and other health care settings are among the places where people living with HIV still experience some of the worst HIV-related stigma.

"HIV-related stigma cannot be tackled until health systems are strengthened at the local level so that everyone has access to basic health care," comments Mary Robinson, President of Realizing Rights in her foreword. "Adopting this approach with those affected by HIV and AIDS must be central to all our endeavours."

"Most people in Zimbabwe are reluctant to access HIV testing services because of fear of stigma and the implications of death often associated with a positive diagnosis," says Masimba Biriwasha from Zimbabwe.

"Stigma and discrimination are the two major hurdles that continue to hamper rehabilitation of people infected and affected by HIV in India," says India contributor Swapna Majumdar. "For women and girls the degree and impact of this stigma is even more acute."

"In many ways Ireland has changed dramatically," adds Declan Montgomery, a Dublin-based contributor. "Despite the changes, stigma and discrimination are still very powerful barriers to people living with HIV."

"The continuing presence of stigma represents a failure in HIV policy-making and programme design," says Nadine France, Director of Health & Development Networks. "All HIV policies, programmes and services should address the impact of HIV stigma, and improving the attitude of health workers is particularly important to restoring the element of hope about AIDS."

Some progress in measuring and concretely redressing HIV-related stigma is being made and the report also describes such projects and initiatives.

"To reduce HIV-related stigma in health care settings, we must look very honestly at the realities that health workers face, and to try to imagine the epidemic from their personal perspective," said David Mukasa, a Ugandan contributor to the report. "Provision of support and information for health workers is essential to fight the fear that breeds stigma."

Additional information and resources:

Unveiling the Truth, is a joint publication by Health and Development Networks (HDN) and the global AIDS-Care-Watch Campaign.

It includes 40 articles written by HDN Key Correspondents from Ireland, India, Namibia, Thailand, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Viet Nam, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Through a combination of essays and personal testimonies, the report provides a window into both the personal and social impact of HIV-related stigma in these countries.

* Embargoed pre-publication copies of Unveiling the Truth are available for journalists.

* Full-text articles by contributors from Ireland, India, Namibia, Thailand, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Viet Nam, Zambia and Zimbabwe are available for reproduction and/or quotes.

* Contacts/interviews: Can be arranged with spokespeople from over 400 ACW partner organisations throughout the world.

For further information, please contact:

Masimba Biriwasha, +66 (0)832091980 or masimba@hdnet.org

Bobby Ramakant, +91 9839073355 or bobby@aidscarewatch.org

Nadine France, +353 (0) 868192324 or nadine@hdnet.org

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Health & Development Networks (www.hdnet.org) is an Irish non-profit organization established in 1998. Since its inception, HDN has strived to improve the quality of information and dialogue around the AIDS epidemic and related health and development issues.

The AIDS-Care-Watch Campaign is a global initiative with the goal of reducing the number of HIV-related deaths. The campaign has over 400 non-governmental and civil society partners throughout the world, including the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS and the World AIDS Campaign. For more information about the campaign and its partners, please go to www.aidscarewatch.org.