Message by Hon. Damian E. Greaves Minister for Health, Human Services and Family Affairs World AIDS Day – December 01st, 2003
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Message
From
Honourable Damian E. Greaves
Minister for Health, Human Services & Family Affairs
World AIDS Day – December 01st, 2003


Live and let live. That is the theme of world AIDS day 2003. In fact, that is what the fight against HIV/AIDS is all about: life! Protecting life. Preserving life. Allowing others the right to choose how they would live.

It has been almost 20 years since the first case of HIV was reported in Saint Lucia and we are now well aware of how HIV is spread and we know how to protect ourselves. Abstaining from sex is the only way to protect ourselves 100% from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. But if we are in a relationship and mutually decide to have sex, let’s try to be faithful to each other – let’s not bring HIV into our relationships through infidelity and careless and unsafe sexual behaviour. If we choose to have sex and are not 100% sure of our partner’s HIV status, please let’s use a condom. Condoms have been around for many years and are a “tried and true” method of protecting ourselves from HIV. Condoms are scientifically proven to protect us from HIV and other STDs if we use them correctly and each and every time we have sex.

But the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Saint Lucia is not only about protecting ourselves and living a sexually safe and healthy life. The second part of this year’s world AIDS day theme is “let live” which refers directly to the stigma and discrimination that continue to pervade our society and cripple our ability to control and ultimately stop the epidemic here.

The stigma of HIV and AIDS relates to deep taboos within our society. For many, the disease has a strong association with prolonged illness, death, sex, and drug use – issues that many of us find difficult to talk about openly. Along with general discomfort about discussing these 'taboo' issues, many communities are also dealing with high levels of ignorance, denial, fear and intolerance about the disease itself. This potent combination can lead to rejection and even aggression against people living with HIV. As a result, people with HIV have been disowned by their families, fired from their jobs, asked to leave their homes. They can face discrimination in receiving medical care. In extreme cases they have even been physically attacked.
Stigma and discrimination can lead to depression, lack of self-worth and despair for people living with HIV. But people living with the disease are not the only ones endangered by this fear and prejudice.

Negative attitudes about HIV can create a climate in which people become more afraid of the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease than of the disease itself. When fear and discrimination prevail, people may choose to ignore the possibility that they may be HIV-positive–even if they know they have taken risks. And people may decide not to take measures to protect themselves in fear that in doing so they could be associating themselves with HIV. All of this helps to create an environment in which the disease can more easily spread.

Viv ék lese viv. Sa sé tém-la pou jounen HIV AIDS lanné sala. Sa sé ekzaktiman sa batay-la kont maladi HIV/AIDS yé. Zafé potejé ék pwézévé lavi ek pou bay lézót an chans pou chwazi ki mannyé yo vlé viv.

I ni pwéské ven lanné dépi pwémyé ka HIV positive wejistwé sent lisi, ék nou tout kounét ki mannyé maladi-a ka simen ék mannyé nou sa potéjé lavi nou.

Lót bagay-la, nou sa fé sé, wésté san fwékanté, si nou pa vlé jwenn pyés maladi sexual. Ek si nou adan an wilasyon, annou éséyé wésté epi yon moun. Mé si nou pa asiwé si moun-la nou ni pa fidel…. Mwen ka konséyéw pou sevi condonm piski sé sa ki pli méyé pou potijé kó nou kont maladi HIV/AIDS.

Zafé maladi HIV/AIDS pa ka sélman konséné maladi- a menm, mai i ka osi détwi moun ki ka viv épi maladi-a pa atitid nou, pou sé moun sala.

Anchay moun ka bay moun ki ka viv épi maladi-a mové kout lann ék nou ka fé lavi sé moun sala double difisil. Adan moun ka “fire” sé moun la an twavay yo, ék, adan lafanmi ka jik tounen do yo asou fanmi yo menm ki ni maladi HIV/AIDS.

Sé vyé atitid salá ka anik mété pli lapéwéz an moun, ék diskwiminasyon ka kontiné an tout fason.

The ministry of health, through technical assistance with carec has finalized saint lucia’s first national strategic plan to fight HIV/AIDS. This first step clearly represents commitment on the part of government to fight HIV/AIDS, in particular, stigma and discrimination. The ministry of health, through the national HIV/AIDS program will soon be instituting voluntary counselling and testing, known as VCT, at health centres and clinics in every health district around the island. Counselling and testing will be available free-of-charge in a comfortable and confidential environment. Everyone is strongly urged to take advantage of these free services if we are unsure of our HIV status and are involved in or about to begin a sexual relationship with our partners. We may want to talk to trained counsellors about our sexual behaviours and risk of HIV, or just want to learn more about how we can protect ourselves from becoming infected.

If we are infected, trained counsellors will connect us to a wide range of confidential medical and support services, including access to free medicines to fight HIV, known as anti-retrovirals, or ARVs. These ARVs help our bodies to fight HIV and postpone the development of AIDS and enable us to live a long and productive life. In addition, support services such as psychological counselling and nutritional advice can further boost our immune system and facilitate good health.

It is our expectation that the availability of VCT in conjunction with the provision of free ARV therapy will make it more likely that people will come forward for HIV testing, learn their status, receive counselling and care, and become more knowledgeable about preventing the spread of the virus. This development will, in turn, significantly reduce the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV/AIDS and will allow us all to “live and let live.”

Minis santé ja fé an go plan pou goumen maladi HIV/AIDS. Bon; gouvidman ja pwan pwemyé pa-a ék minis santé kay koumansé ekzamminasyon ék konsey volonté an tout health centre ék clinic owon peyi-a. Sévis sala pakay koute pyés lajan ék i kay fét adan an leviwonman ki konfótab ék sigwé. Minis la ka konséyé tout moun ki andidan ében ki vlé koumansé an wilasyon epi an moun, pou pwan lavantaj sé sevis sala éspwésiman si ou pa asiwé si (partner’w) fidel.

Si an ka ou positive, minis la ka báw bon sevis medical ék wimed kon anti-retrovirals (arvs) ki kay wendé-w goumen kont maladi-a. Nou an minis santé ka kwé ki, si nou bay sé wimed arv-a ék bay moun sévis pou konséyé yo, i kay wendé yo viv an pli méyé ék pli long lavi ék tiwé tout diskwiminasyon owon maladi sala.

In closing, let me take the opportunity to thank all our partners in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Saint Lucia. First, the national HIV/AIDS programme office in taking the lead in providing VCT around the island and in beginning to implement the critical elements of the new national strategic plan. I would like to thank our partners in the NGO field for their continual hard work and commitment, including the AIDS action foundation, planned parenthood, the national youth council, the red cross, and the u.s. peace corps. I would also like to invite new partners from the business community, tourism sector, service clubs, youth and sports clubs, and women’s organizations to join the fight against HIV/AIDS.

And in particular, I would like to make special mention of the catholic church and its initiative in creating a new task force on HIV/AIDS and its commitment to voluntary counselling and testing, care and support, and in the elimination of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV and AIDS have already touched every community on our beautiful island. I challenge all of you, fellow saint lucians, to do your part in the fight against HIV/AIDS to prevent this scourge from taking a firm grip on our families, communities, and nation. Remember: live and let live.

Mwen ka pwan lokazyon-an pou wimésyé tout moun ék ogannizasyon ki ka wendé goumen kont maladi HIV/AIDS an sent lisi. Pwemyéman, pogwanm nasyonnal pou HIV/AIDS. Sa ka montjwé ki gouvidman ka pwan tout dé mach pou tiwé vyé katjil moun ni kont moun ki ka viv ék maladia-a. Mwen osi ka wimésyé ogannizasyon kon AIDS action foundation, planned parenthood, konsit jennés nasyonnal, kwa wouj, peace corps lanmekwik ék tout lézót ogannizasyon biznis,touris, sevis volonté, jennés en club, ék ogannizasyon fanm ki ka wendé goumen kout maladi sala..
Mwen osi vlé wimésyé legliz katolik an patikilé, pou sévis la yo ka ofé. Maladi HIV/AIDS ja touché tout konmin an peyi nou ék mwen ka defyéw pou pa kité maladi sala simen pou détwi fanmi nou, konmen nou ék bél peyi nou:sent lisi.
Chongé: viv ék lese viv ! Mési.
 


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