‘END HIV STIGMA’
Local groups celebrate Aids Candlelight Day
A number of people took to the Capitol social hall yesterday, armed with candles and ribbons, to pay solemn tribute to the men and women whose lives were wracked by HIV in the 34th International Aids Candlelight Memorial.
Different organizations and local governments joined in the memorial rites.
Advocates couple, Marites and Gabby, themselves HIV positive, shared the bittersweet experiences they have had and how they cope and continue to fight for a normal life amidst exclusion and discrimination by neighbors, some friends and their own families.
One of the event’s prevailing messages was to put an end to the stigma attached to people with HIV and to encourage a whole-country approach in ending the 42,284 count in the number of infected individuals in the country.
“This is not only a memorial, but this is also a celebration of the partnership within to combat not just the disease, but the stigma and discrimination associated with it,” DOH 7 Director Jaime S. Bernadas said in a speech.
He said that the problem is big and will still get bigger before it gets better, but they will still continue to fight for an HIV-free generation.
Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial, in a speech, said that it is about time to end ignorance and indifference of a few sectors that disseminate hate messages against the agency’s prevention programs.
It can be recalled that a number of groups strongly opposed the distribution of free condoms to students.
“Kailangang pag-usapan, kailangang may gawin tayo hindi pwedeng business as usual (It needs to be talked about, we need to do something beyond the usual business),” Said Ubial.
She also urged people with risk behaviors, such as liberal sex, to get free test to know their status to help stop the spread of HIV, which the DOH’s surveillance data registers 30 new cases everyday since March.
In a short yet solemn gesture, candles were lighted and placed around a large memorial ribbon as a symbol to start the country’s concerted effort against the spread of HIV and AIDS together.