Leadership needed to break barriers of stigma and discrimination

It is increasingly acknowledged that confronting the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS is an essential step in both achieving universal access of people living with AIDS to drug therapy, and increasing the scope and effectiveness of prevention campaigns.

The social barriers of stigma and the legal barriers of discrimination can often result in people living with HIV/AIDS being unable to access antiretroviral (ARV) drug therapy, even if expansions in health care facilities and improvements in drug distribution mean that drugs are available for them.

Confronting these social barriers demands a different approach to the more traditional dimensions of the fight against HIV/AIDS, such as developing new and effective drugs, improving health facility coverage and tackling international pharmaceutical regulation to make ARVs more affordable.

Above all, addressing these social challenges demands leadership; leaders who take a stand against stigma, decrying the social inequalities from which it often originates, and leaders who are prepared to challenge policies and legislation which often represent the enactment of this stigma.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is therefore glad that with the theme for this year’s World AIDS Day being ‘Leadership’ the spotlight will be on this critical issue in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Download full article:

Health update for World AIDS Day 2008

Key Links:

• Health