HIV/AIDS patient shares double ordeal of living with infection

TACLOBAN CITY, Dec. 5 (PNA) –- For Jaypee (not his real name), 34, getting infected with a sexually-transmitted disease is a double ordeal.

Jaypee was diagnosed as Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) positive in 2013. He felt anxious when he learned about his health status after undergoing examinations. He got the disease from an old male foreigner, whom he worked for as caregiver.

“We had developed mutual feeling that ended up into a sexual relationship, but I was not aware that he’s infected,” he recalled.

After the foreigner died, Jaypee worked in a big company. That is when he started to suffer recurring illnesses. Heeding an advice from co-worker, he turned to authorities for HIV/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) test.

“My parents were upset when I broke the sad news to them. My father got mad at me and even slapped me,” Jaypee recalled.

As person living with HIV/AIDS, Jaypee is financially constraint to support his needs since he is jobless. Although the treatment is shouldered by the government, he still needs money to buy vitamins for him to remain healthy.

Currently, he is an advocate of HIV/AIDS prevention in the region.

“I still feel blessed because God gave me reason and a purpose to live. To become an advocate of HIV/AIDS prevention, I want to educate people how to prevent acquiring the disease,” Jaypee said.
He hopes that one day, people in the region will not discriminate infected persons like him.

Stigma on HIV/AIDS is still strong up to present considering that most people have misconceptions and lack of proper information on how to properly deal with people living with the disease, according to Celestino Ramirez of Positive Action Foundation Philippines, Inc.

“People living with HIV/AIDS can still be productive and they cannot spread the virus not unless they engage into unsafe behavior,” Ramirez added.

Jaypee is just one of the 355 persons in Eastern Visayas infected of HIV/AIDS from 1984 to July 2016. Most of infected persons are in in Tacloban (63 cases) and Ormoc City (55 cases). Just like in other areas, most of those infected acquired the disease through male-to-male sexual encounter.

HIV/AIDS can only be transmitted by having unprotected sex with an infected person, blood transfusion and breast milk feeding by mother positive of the disease. HIV if left untreated, can lead to AIDS.

“The virus will not be transmitted by using the utensils used by people living with HIV/AIDS or by simply holding their hands. These are misconception that we wanted people to understand. Proper understanding, acceptance and knowledge on the disease are very important for those living with the disease to live a normal life,” Ramirez said.

To stop the spread of disease, people who are living with the disease should learn to accept their situation and those surrounding them must understand and acknowledge them.

“If a person acknowledges that he or she had engaged into activities that may resulted for them to have these diseases, the best way for them to do is to have medical examination. They should not hesitate.

As early as possible, they must know their status so that proper intervention can be given to them,” Ramirez added.

Early detection of their health status will also help them to have healthy living and become productive member of the society.

“We need to show to other that even you have this infection, you are still capable to do things that a normal person does. This will also make the community friendly if they will know what if their real health status,” Ramirez added. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/Roel T. Amazona/egr