Self-stigmatisation among HIV+ people at 70percent

A recently published National AIDS Council HIV Stigma Index shows that the
stigmatisation of people living with HIV in Zimbabwe by the public is now very low,
however, those with HIV are the ones with self-stigmatisation.
The index shows that self-stigmatisation within people living with HIV is at around 70
percent, 10 percent up from 60 percent in 2014 when the last report was compiled.
Moreni Masanzu, an executive member of the Meaningful Involvement of People
living with HIV/AIDS (MIPA) addressing delegates, who attended a belated World
AIDS Day provincial commemorations in Sapa on Thursday hailed the public for
accepting the condition while urging fellow HIV positive members to come “out of
their shells” and get involved in economic activities.
She said self-stigmatisation in some instances was resulting in some people
defaulting on taking their medication in the public.
She urged all HIV positive people to stop self-discrimination and embrace their
status and move on together with others as they take on their medications on time
and in right quantities.
Meanwhile, the National AIDS Council has roped in the Ministry of Health and Child
Care and traditional leaders (village heads and headmen) in the Chidodo community
bordering Mozambique to help them to stop the brewing of a local opaque known as
“Kamukozongo) in the community.
This is amid reports that commercial sex workers in the community do not do their
business openly like others who visit night drinking spots and other public places.
Instead, these ones do their commercial sex work at their respective homes under
long dresses and head gears whilst selling the illicit brew.
Edgar Muzulu, Mashonaland Central National AIDS Council manager, said this
group of unique commercial sex workers was also hard to reach out to.
Some of them are old mothers, while others are just guardians who are brewing so
that they could sell out their children during the beer binges.
He said in order to stop them, they have since engaged the services of police and
health ministry so that they just stop brewing the beer every now and then, for the
meantime.