The Oyo State Government has read a riot act to public institutions, corporate bodies and other social institutions to desist from any form of discrimination against Persons Living with HIV/AIDs in the state.
The warning was given at a Town Hall meeting, held at the state Secretariat, which brought together experts from the fields of public health, law and human rights, to raise awareness about the state’s HIV anti-stigma and discrimination law.
The state government, through the Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDs (OYSACA), explained that the warning became necessary following repeated calls and cases of harassment and discrimination against Persons Living with HIV/AIDs in the state.
Delivering an address at the meeting, the Executive Secretary (ES) of OYSACA, Dr. Lanre Abass, assured the People Living with HIV/AIDs that the agency would always assist them to seek redress when faced with any form of harassment or discrimination.
Abass said: “In recent time, stigmatization and discrimination has been on the increase and is becoming a public health issue. The menace has led to gender and human rights issues of all forms ranging from denial of education rights, marriage contract, dysfunctional homes, unlawful dissolution of marriage, termination of employment or denial of employment opportunities.
“By signing the Anti-stigma Bill into law, the government has given all Nigerians living with or affected by HIV a guarantee to access justice and to regain their human rights and dignity in the society while enjoying productive lives,” he stated.
The ES explained that zero discrimination is the only environment conducive to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 and achieve global target of 95:95:95, which by implication targeted that 95 percent of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) must know their HIV status, 95 percent of those who are HIV positive must be on Anti-retroviral drugs and 95 percent of PLHIV on drugs must be virally suppressed.
Abass noted: “HIV stigma is negative attitudes and beliefs about people with HIV. It is the prejudice that comes with labelling an individual as part of a group that is believed to be socially unacceptable.
“HIV stigma and discrimination affect the emotional well-being and mental health of People Living with HIV. People Living with HIV often internalise the stigma they experience and begin to develop a negative self-image. They may fear they will be discriminated against or judged negatively if their HIV status is revealed,” he disclosed.
In her lecture at the event, the Gender-Based Violence Desk Officer, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Dupe Awosemusi, encouraged people living with HIV/AIDs to refrain from internal stigmatisation and build self-confidence in relating with others, as HIV/AIDs is never a death sentence.
She also urged people facing one form of discrimination or another in either their school or workplace to speak out by reporting the cases, so as to nip the spread in the bud.
Speakers at the meeting included representatives from the state House of Assembly, officials from selected ministries, members of civil society organisations working on HIV-related issues and some people living with HIV/AIDs, among others.
Olusola Akintonde
