Marriage: A Risk Factor for HIV?

This morning while browsing an article with that title caught my eye. It was about South Africa, but in my experience reflects reality in Indonesia. It seems that almost all of the women with HIV I meet were infected by their husband or partner. Often they only find out that they are infected after their partner dies and the cause of death is found to be HIV. Usually this is a result of earlier injecting drug use that the female partner may not even have known about. The women is then tested: positive. Often a baby is also tested: positive. By coincidence, Prof Samsu answered a question from such a women in his weekly QA column in the Kompas daily today.

Of course, the result is not always quite as bad. Again, by coincidence, a posting appeared this morning in the sharing forum on our web site. This women lost her husband two years ago; the cause was again only identified after death. She and her child were subsequently tested and found negative. Sadly, as is often the case, it appears she was not properly informed, and is still not convinced that she and her child are uninfected, even though she has been retested since with the same (negative) result.

Her shame has prevented her from seeking support, together with information she can trust. I hope my reply to her cry for help will assist her to overcome her fear - and her shame.

Since Spiritia was set up by Suzana, we have always felt that those affected by HIV have an equal - or greater - need for peer support as those infected. Sadly many of the international activists pressing for greater involvement of people living with HIV (GIPA) ignore the needs of such people. One such recently told me that he 'never came across an organisation for people affected by HIV' (in fact there are several in Indonesia), and quite clearly could see no need for such. Seems to me that ignoring or sidelining the negative partners of positive people is not only inhumane, but also overlooks an incredible resource.

GIPA originally included both infected and affected. It will be a pity if we allow it to become exclusive.

Babé