As the World marked HIV/AIDS Day yesterday the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker has appealed to members of the public to refrain from stigmatizing persons living with HIV/AIDS but to accept them with love and care as normal members of the society.
Parker made the appeal yesterday, at the premiere of the movie titled “stigma” held at the Silver Bird Cinema in Port Harcourt as part of activities marking the celebration of the 2013 World AIDS Day in the state.
The Commissioner who noted that stigmatization fuels the spread of HIV/AIDS described HIV as an infection which many people have unfounded fears and prejudices about.
“This attitude affects status declaration, status assessment and the general uptake of HIV services in health institutions and has also militated against various control measures aimed at reducing prevalence”, Parker said.
According to him, the Movie which is a product of a celebration between Nollywood and the state Ministry of Health in furtherance to the ideals of the present administration of Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi is to help sensitize, educate, re-orientate, and model societal attitude towards achieving destigmatising behaviour.
Produced and directed by Dagogo Diminas, STIGMA featured popular actors and actresses as Emeka Ike, Hilda Dokubo, Clem Ohameze, Francis Belt and a hosts of others.
Mr. Cletus Justice, one of the viewers told The Tide that watching the film has changed his negative attitudes about those with the infection while Ms Ngozi Peters, another viewer remarked that it has thrown more light on many fears he had about people that have the HIV and the infection itself.
Ms Peters commended the Rivers State Government for the movie as according to her “seeing is believing I’ve seen and most of my doubts and fears were actually unfounded”.
Our correspondent who monitored the event said people of all ages and classes attended the event.
World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.
Bunn and Netter took their idea to Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS (now known as UNAIDS). Dr. Mann liked the concept, approved it, and agreed with the recommendation that the first observance of World AIDS Day should be 1 December 1988.
This year, WHO focuses its campaign on improving access to prevention, treatment and care services for adolescents (10-19 years), a group regarded as ‘vulnerable’.
“More than two million adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years are living with HIV, and many do not receive the care and support that they need to stay in good health and prevent transmission. In addition, millions more adolescents are at risk of infection.
‘The failure to support effective and acceptable HIV services for adolescents has resulted in a 50% increase in reported AIDS-related deaths in this group compared with the 30% decline seen in the general population from 2005 to 2012,’ WHO stated in a report.
Regarding the adolescents as the neglected group, Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of WHO HIV/AIDS Department said:  “Adolescents need health services and support, tailored to their needs. They are less likely than adults to be tested for HIV and often need more support than adults to help them maintain care and to stick to treatment.”
In a statement signed by Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS states that the HIV stigma and complacency by people has limited the eradication of the virus. He therefore urges all to join their voices to end AIDS.
There are 3.4 million people currently living with the Human Immune Virus (HIV) in Nigeria, thus placing it in the position of the second worst affected country in the world according to National Action Committee on Aids (NACA). This figure adds up to 35.3 million people who are currently living with HIV in the world.