‘Men scared to test’

HHUKWINI – Communications Manager Muzi Yende has revealed that it is men who are still too scared to go for HIV/AIDS testing. Speaking to Eswatini News yesterday during the Health Day held at Hhukwini Constituency, Yende pointed out that it was women who were always and have been eager to visit health centres for testing.

“The statistics of people who have contracted the HIV virus in the country are not a true reflection. They show that women are mostly the ones who are HIV positive yet studies have proven that women are the ones to test the most, hence men may be high in number but are unknown. Men are still scared to know their status and that is why it appears on the statistics as if it is women who have contracted the virus the most in the country whereas it is not the whole truth,” said Yende.

Young

Meanwhile, Yende pointed out that the statistics have indicated that young girls are contracting the virus at an alarmingly higher rate.

“Men who are refusing to know their HIV status are the ones allegedly responsible or behind these high statistics,” said Yende.

Further, Yende pointed out that it was for this reason that the Ministry of Health, Elizabeth Glazer Foundation, Baylor Clinic and other partners had undertaken this initiative to get the communities to speak up so as to help also men to freely and without fear of stigma go to health centres for HIV/AIDS testing.

ing, counselling and treatment). It should be noted though that people are scared to test for HIV, start treatment and even continue to take treatment well because of fear of stigma and discrimination,” opined Mbhamali.

Further, Mbhamali pointed out that it was in this regard that the ministry and partners were at Hhukwini yesterday to start a conversation within the community to sensitise the need to put an end to stigma and discrimination.

LobbY

“This is an effort to get the community members to speak on issues of HIV/AIDS without fear, to make it easy for specific issues touching on stigma to be easily addressed among community members, starting from family setups. We are also here to lobby for support from the community, church, schools, clinics so to assist those facing stigma and discrimination,” explained Mbhamali.

He pointed out that this was another way for the Ministry of Health and its partners to bring the health services such as PrEP information, mental health, cervical cancer, HIV testing to the people in the community.