PEOPLE Living with HIV (PLHIV) have requested the government to step up campaigns and strategic plans to bring to zero stigmatization and discrimination against them to enable them contribute to the development to the country.
They issued an advice recently during the commemoration of Zero Discrimination Day 2022 which was marked in the country’s capital under the theme: ‘Strengthern Systems for Enabling Environment’.
The event was organised at the country level by the Tanzania Commission for Aids (TACAIDS) in collaboration with UNAIDS and the National Council of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NACOPHA).
When giving their testimonies on what they have been going through after testing HIV positive, the PLHIV said they have been encountering difficulties in their families and the communities surrounding as they are completely discriminated to an extent that they nearly think of committing suicide.
“I thank the efforts by NACOPHA for being among the first persons to receive capacity building training which made me to become who I am today, living well and healthy for more than 20 years,” said Ms Dora Mwaluko.
A 24- year old Amina Abdulrahman, also living with HIV, said after facing discrimination from her family she nearly died for failure to access important needs including food, including access to ARVs, but after frequent seminars she received from NACOPHA, she was currently living a comfortable life.
“I advise the government to intensify campaigns and plans for ending discrimination because still, discrimination exists in our communities,” she said.
Speaking at the occasion with a hashtag #’Enough! No Stigma, Discrimination and injustice’, which convened PLHIV and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Deputy Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Coordination and Parliament), Ummy Nderiananga said it was high time action was taken to protect the rights of children, those with disabilities and PLHIV.
According to her, the government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan was well determined to ending discrimination in the country by ensuring that its target to have zero discrimination in the country was reached.
She further called upon all stakeholders to air their recommendations on all the outdated policies that were impeding the fight against discrimination, Gender based violence, as well as protecting the rights of all marginalized groups including PLHIV, children, women and PWDs.