Families, communities rejecting HIV orphans

Addressing a Rotary Club of PoS West seminar on “Bloodborne pathogens HIV/AIDS in the workplace” at Cascadia Hotel, Browne said when an adult died there was usually a safety net for the child, but once HIV and AIDS were involved, the net became even more fragile.

“Even grandparents, aunts and uncles seem very reluctant to step forward and say ‘this is my family member, I am going to continue caring to see about this individual’s education health, welfare’.”

Although change has been taking place, Browne said the NACC has seen very negative examples and there is still a fear of HIV “not based on fact but based on myth and prejudice.”

Browne said a new site has been identified for the expanded Cyril Ross Nursery. He said medical and patient care are being separated. He appealed for greater support for Cyril Ross and other organisations which provide support for people living with HIV.

Browne said many people took HIV tests but did not return for the results.

“Many of those results are positive unclaimed results. So we know there is a lot more HIV out there and estimates vary.”

He said the official number of HIV cases from 1983 to 2005 was 15,940, with 73 percent of new infections occurring in the 15-49 age group. Forty-eight percent of cases were females.

Browne said there were probably more than 20,000 people living with HIV, but “it could be considerably more.” He said the University of the West Indies is conducting a survey to refine the statistics.

He said everyone was vulnerable to HIV with the most vulnerable falling in the 15-49 age group — the working population.

He said the virus was a real and potential drain of human resources leading to distortion of the labour market, disruption of production, and consumption of goods and services, and loss of skills and capabilities.

The impact of HIV and AIDS on the household is a loss of caregivers, income earners and educators. These make children vulnerable to HIV. He said HIV has intensified the family life crisis. There is a vicious cycle connecting HIV and impaired family life. Sometimes when family life is impaired it leads to vulnerability to HIV.

Families affected by the virus are those in which family members are ill or HIV positive and without symptoms.

Browne said the label of HIV placed a significant burden which disrupted family life.

“We are talking about employment and challenges with employment. We have seen employers attempting to screen before hiring or firing when HIV status is known,” he said.

Families with members falling into “vulnerable” groups — sex worker, gay, prisoner, are also adversely affected by HIV and AIDS.

To mitigate the impact of the disease on families, Browne said psycho-social care needed to be improved, access to treatment and care expanded, and stigma and discrimination reduced.