Theme:

Stop Discrimination! Allow Access to Treatment and Care: Stop AIDS! Keep the Promise

This year the theme selected for the Turks and Caicos Islands World AIDS Day is, “Stop Discrimination Allow Access to Treatment and Care: Stop AIDS! Keep the Promise!” I recall watching a 1993 movie entitled Philadelphia. In this movie Tom Hanks’ character was the object of discrimination in the work place. He was dismissed from a law firm after news broke that he was infected with AIDS. Although the movie is based on fiction, the issues raised were a s real as they are today.

The Theme has been chosen to address the need to protect human rights and attain access for all to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. It also acts as a call to countries to remove laws that discriminate against people living with HIV/AIDS.

One of the main effects of discrimination against AIDS patients is that it helps the spread of the disease. First of all, People know that AIDS is going to affect not only their health but also their jobs, insurance, home and friends if they get the disease. And so people will be afraid of testing to find out if they are infected or not. And if they are infected, they will be scared to announce it in order to avoid discrimination and isolation by the society.

Let us stop discriminating against HIV/AIDS victims and allow them access to treatment and care. Every human being has the right to proper health care, irrespective of the disease they have and how they got it. We should allow AIDS patients to receive treatment so that they will feel loved and cared for. This will also help them to live better lives and to deal better with signs and symptoms of the disease.

World AIDS Day provides an opportunity for all of us to take action and ensure that human rights are protected. Take a stand today, show you care. Stop Discrimination! 

Woodens Corvil