Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - 1 December 2004
Nahu Senay of the Ethiopian Red Cross
Today, he feels that his courageous decision to be open actually saved his life.
"It was in 2001 that I learned that I was HIV positive. I felt denial and loss of hope, I was consumed by anger and disappointment and finally became depressed," 'Tariku' recalls. recalling the difficult situation he was in. In addition, he feared the stigma and discrimination.
"But when my doctor told me to start taking Anti-Retroviral (ARV) therapy, I had no choice but to seek support from my workplace since I was unable to afford it. And then I had to be open," he explains.
"The medical regulations of the ERCS did not allow support for ARV. However, being aware of my situation, all the staff members came to my rescue. They decided to cover my expenses from their monthly salary. Besides, other colleagues from the International Federation are still supporting me. I do not have words to thank all of them. Without their support I might not have been alive today," he says.
'Tariku' also got the opportunity to attend the World AIDS Conference in Barcelona, together with the president of ERCS. This was a further encouragement.
"I am stable, and have no fear of stigma and discrimination at work. Now I am free to discuss HIV/AIDS and related issues with my colleagues. I take care of my personal hygiene, eat a balanced diet and comply with my treatment. I am very glad that I did not keep it a secret."
It is estimated that 6.6 per cent of Ethiopia's population are HIV-positive, so 'Tariku' thinks it is likely there are others in the ERCS who are HIV positive, but who choose to keep silent because they fear how people around them will react.
Now, the ERCS has launched a workplace intervention programme targeting its employees at various levels to offer access to HIV/AIDS information and appropriate services.
However, in Ethiopian culture, stigma around HIV/AIDS is so strong that 'Tariku' does not dare to be open outside his workplace or to be identified in this interview. He says there is a lack of culturally appropriate information on the subject to combat misconceptions.
But action is clearly needed. Experts say Ethiopia is one of five "second wave" countries in the HIV/AIDS epidemic û the others are China, India, Nigeria and Russia. These five are a special cause for concern because they are all major regional or global actors and all have large populations.
Collectively they comprise over 40 per cent of the world's population, and now they are in the early to middle stages of the epidemic. In Ethiopia, the epidemic started in the early 1980s and according to UNAIDS figures, at the end of 2003, nearly 1.5 million people in the country HIV-positive, making it the country with the third highest number of people living with HIV in the world after India and South Africa.
Ethiopia is a very religious and conservative country. Discussing personal subjects openly and frankly is not part of Ethiopian culture. HIV/AIDS is almost a forbidden topic, even among relatives and friends.
Talking about sex is taboo in this country and that is the main stumbling block to HIV/AIDS education in communities. HIV-positive people often do not seek testing and treatment because they fear being ostracized by their families, neighbours and friends and losing their jobs or access to public services.
"Stigma, silence, denial and discrimination undermine prevention, care and treatment efforts and increase the impact of the AIDS pandemic on individuals, families and communities," says Ato Mesfin Getahun, the HIV/AIDS programme coordinator in the ERCS.
"The ERCS can be an important player in reducing stigma and promoting behavioural change. We have been implementing HIV/AIDS projects for several years, but clearly we need to expand our efforts. Today, we have HIV/AIDS activities in 22 ERCS branches, and the goal is to cover all 36 branches. We have to reach this goal," says Mesfin.
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