People living with HIV

The vast majority of people living with HIV in the world are unaware of their status, leaving them unable to seek treatment and care or to change behaviours that might put themselves and others, such as sexual partners, at risk of (newer) infections. For them, perhaps the most critical goal of policymakers and planners should be to make voluntary counselling and testing available in a context that also promotes access to treatment, care and support services.

Additionally, a range of policy and programme issues require attention for people who are living with HIV. These are best addressed in the context of Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV (GIPA). As people living with HIV have directly experienced the factors that make individuals and communities vulnerable to HIV infection, and once infected the HIV-related illnesses and strategies for managing them, their meaningful involvement in programme development and implementation, as well as policy making, is logical and will improve the relevance, acceptability and effectiveness of HIV programmes.

The effects of AIDS include more than physical illness. The disease also causes emotional, social, and economic problems. The stigma and discrimination experienced by people known or suspected to be HIV-positive and their families compounds these problems. The first priority in mitigating the effects of HIV is to enable the person living with HIV to stay healthy through interventions such as antiretroviral therapy, nutritional assistance and treatment for opportunistic infections.

Comprehensive programming and a legal and policy environment that provides protection against all forms of discrimination and psychosocial and financial support is likely to provide the best results in mitigating the impact of AIDS on individuals, allowing people living with HIV return to a normal life.