END STIGMATIZATION AGAINST PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV

End stigmatization against people living with HIV – JAAIDS Executive Director says

Stigma has remained the major challenge for people living with HIV, (PLHIV) and
sometimes the images the media portray in the reportage of HIV stories continues to
drive the stigmatization and discrimination of people living with HIV (PLHIV), especially
in the use of language.
This was revealed by the Executive Director, Journalists Against Aids Nigeria
(JAAIDS), Olayide Akanni to newsmen in Lagos during a HIV training for Journalists
across Nigeria, on the need to revisit HIV stories and as well curb the stigmatization
being painted.


Olayide, who noted that HIV is no longer a death sentence, reiterated the need to use
the appropriate language in passing the message to the general public.
She stressed that HIV is not over in Nigeria, and that there is a dimension to the
infections, where there is a growing prevalence in young people, especially the Mother
to child transmission and moreso, a lot of gaps in HIV response that needs to be fixed.
Olayide urged Journalists across boards to continue the culture of information,
particularly on our young people who think HIV is not a big deal.
She added that there is the agenda of the 95-95-95 target ongoing, to eradicate HIV in
Nigeria.


“Among the 2 million people estimated living with HIV, 95% know their status, 95% will
be on treatment, and 95% virally suppressed” says Olayide.
She however buttressed that the reportage of HIV stories should not only be on World
Aids day, but people should be aware that HIV is not the way it is assumed to be, and
that people living with HIV can live at a very good old age, if detected early, begins
treatment to suppress the virus.
It is important to note that the right to life is a fundamental human right and any form of
stigmatization of persons with certain health conditions would amount to an infringement
of their rights.
C- Advocate therefore calls on Nigerians to respect the fundamental rights of citizens for
an all inclusive society.

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