Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
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- nomadicwarlord
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Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
HARGEISA, Tuesday
When a young HIV-positive woman recently passed away in Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland, none of the women in her family volunteered to carry out the traditional Islamic rite of washing the body before burial. “Her clothes are still hanging where she died because people think they can be affected if they touch them,” said Abdillahi Omar, a man in his 40s. Eventually, a group of HIV-positive women volunteered to wash the woman’s body.
Most people in Somalia still avoid touching or associating with people living with the virus. “Each one of us who has announced that he or she has HIV/Aids was thrown out of his or her family. I was a soldier ... as soon as they got the information [about my HIV status], I was told not to enter the camp - they considered me as being the epidemic itself,” Mr Omar said.
“Our children are sent back home by the school administrators for no reason other than the fact that their parents have HIV ... we experience it daily,” said Amina Ali, a mother of four. Experts attribute the intense stigmatisation of people living with the virus to ignorance and the strong association of HIV with immorality and ‘non-Muslim’ behaviour; United Nations estimates say less than 10 per cent of the population have accurate knowledge about HIV transmission.
“I know that HIV can be transmitted by using the same toothbrush as someone who is infected, or if the same [injection] needle used on an HIV-positive person is used on you,” said Sa’id Ahmed, a student at the University of Hargeisa. “If someone in my family had Aids ... of course I would feel the fear of the disease.” Sexual intercourse is the main method of transmission in Somalia, but Ahmed did not mention sex as a way of transmitting HIV and there is no HIV education in schools.
“We have carried out a lot of awareness to reduce the stigma, as well as giving people information about how the disease transmitted,” said Hassan Omar Hagga, director of training at the Somaliland Aids Commission (SOLNAC) secretariat. Somalia’s most recent progress report to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/Aids noted that widespread stigma and discrimination were among the factors raising HIV vulnerability.
High stigma and low risk perception mean few people are tested for HIV, and the country’s antiretroviral (ARV) programme is still in its infancy. Of an estimated 13,000 people living with HIV in Somaliland, only 800 have access to ARVs,” said Mohamed Hussein Osman, executive director of SOLNAC.
SOLNAC has also been trying to push through parliament proposed legislation giving rights to people living with HIV, and making it illegal for doctors to reveal a patient’s HIV status without their permission. “[The draft] law criminalises discrimination against the people who live with the disease, specifies their requirements for care, and stipulates punishments for those who try to deliberately transmit the virus,” said Hassan Omar Hagga.
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/-/1 ... index.html
When a young HIV-positive woman recently passed away in Hargeisa, capital of the self-declared republic of Somaliland, none of the women in her family volunteered to carry out the traditional Islamic rite of washing the body before burial. “Her clothes are still hanging where she died because people think they can be affected if they touch them,” said Abdillahi Omar, a man in his 40s. Eventually, a group of HIV-positive women volunteered to wash the woman’s body.
Most people in Somalia still avoid touching or associating with people living with the virus. “Each one of us who has announced that he or she has HIV/Aids was thrown out of his or her family. I was a soldier ... as soon as they got the information [about my HIV status], I was told not to enter the camp - they considered me as being the epidemic itself,” Mr Omar said.
“Our children are sent back home by the school administrators for no reason other than the fact that their parents have HIV ... we experience it daily,” said Amina Ali, a mother of four. Experts attribute the intense stigmatisation of people living with the virus to ignorance and the strong association of HIV with immorality and ‘non-Muslim’ behaviour; United Nations estimates say less than 10 per cent of the population have accurate knowledge about HIV transmission.
“I know that HIV can be transmitted by using the same toothbrush as someone who is infected, or if the same [injection] needle used on an HIV-positive person is used on you,” said Sa’id Ahmed, a student at the University of Hargeisa. “If someone in my family had Aids ... of course I would feel the fear of the disease.” Sexual intercourse is the main method of transmission in Somalia, but Ahmed did not mention sex as a way of transmitting HIV and there is no HIV education in schools.
“We have carried out a lot of awareness to reduce the stigma, as well as giving people information about how the disease transmitted,” said Hassan Omar Hagga, director of training at the Somaliland Aids Commission (SOLNAC) secretariat. Somalia’s most recent progress report to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/Aids noted that widespread stigma and discrimination were among the factors raising HIV vulnerability.
High stigma and low risk perception mean few people are tested for HIV, and the country’s antiretroviral (ARV) programme is still in its infancy. Of an estimated 13,000 people living with HIV in Somaliland, only 800 have access to ARVs,” said Mohamed Hussein Osman, executive director of SOLNAC.
SOLNAC has also been trying to push through parliament proposed legislation giving rights to people living with HIV, and making it illegal for doctors to reveal a patient’s HIV status without their permission. “[The draft] law criminalises discrimination against the people who live with the disease, specifies their requirements for care, and stipulates punishments for those who try to deliberately transmit the virus,” said Hassan Omar Hagga.
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/-/1 ... index.html
- nomadicwarlord
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
We shall overcome in Northwest Somalia. 

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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
Allahunaxariisto, if this is true then walle dadkeenu waa jaahiliin, ilaahey ha soo hadeeyo
- nomadicwarlord
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
"Sexual intercourse is the main method of transmission in Somalia, but Ahmed did not mention sex as a way of transmitting HIV and there is no HIV education in schools"
This is a problem.
This is a problem.
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
^Don't they know that HIV can be transmitetd by dirty needles and I have seen with my eyes unqualified doctors giving people injections
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
Let's be honest here, the figure can probably be attributed to the influx of Ethiopians seeking employment. Of the 13,000 I'd wager 80% are Ethiopian refugees.
- nomadicwarlord
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
Students for the most part are the ones with the most knowledge about the virus. Like you said, they need to change certain practices at the hospital in order to curtail the spread of the virus.Cumar-Labasuul wrote:^Don't they know that HIV can be transmitetd by dirty needles and I have seen with my eyes unqualified doctors giving people injections
I hope that's the case.The Nomad wrote:Let's be honest here, the figure can probably be attributed to the influx of Ethiopians seeking employment. Of the 13,000 I'd wager 80% are Ethiopian refugees.
- Basra-
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
AIDS/HIV is so complex and so 21st century issue that the topic never becomes boring. This disease is shockingly inhumane yet i cant but agree it is a blessing for reducing over population and fighting poverty in africa and third world countries. 

- Somalian_Boqor
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
It's fucked up what Ildoors are doing to other Ildoors. 

- Pirate Nayaa
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
i was planning to go back to africa via somaliland, but am scared of this aids/hiv. who knows, one can get it by eating
with a spoon or drinking tea from a cup that's not properly washed.
anyways, no hate to s/landers.
with a spoon or drinking tea from a cup that's not properly washed.
anyways, no hate to s/landers.

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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
they got it because allah punished them for being kind to ethiopian gypsiesPirate Nayaa wrote:i was planning to go back to africa via somaliland, but am scared of this aids/hiv. who knows, one can get it by eating
with a spoon or drinking tea from a cup that's not properly washed.
anyways, no hate to s/landers.
- Somalian_Boqor
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Re: Aids patients suffer stigma rages in Somaliland
grandpakhalif wrote:they got it because allah punished them for being kind to ethiopian gypsiesPirate Nayaa wrote:i was planning to go back to africa via somaliland, but am scared of this aids/hiv. who knows, one can get it by eating
with a spoon or drinking tea from a cup that's not properly washed.
anyways, no hate to s/landers.



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