INGRA , AHF mobilises FUL Students against HIV/ Aids stigmatisation in Kogi.
ATABOR JULIUS LOKOJA
The Initiative for Grassroots Advancement INGRA with the support from Aids Healthcare Foundation AHF have charged youths across the country to lead a crusade in the fight against stigmatisation of HIV/ Aids survivors.
The Executive Director of INGRA Hamza Aliyu gave the charge on Thursday in one a day Dialogue and awareness campaign with the Theme: Youths Unite to End HIV/ Aids stigma held inside the Lecture hall of the Federal University Main Campus in Felele.
Aliyu noted that , the conversation became necessary to educate and sensitise the youths on the consequences of escalating stigma on the survivors of HIV/ aids.
The Executive director explained that the major cause of stigmatisation is lack of informed knowledge of the disease, which has heightened misconceptions, giving rooms to various interpretations.
He said that HIV Aids is a disease like any other disease and should not be misconstrued to be a punishment for perverse behaviours.
He urge the youth as a critical segment of the population to use their knowledge and contacts to douse the stigmatisation among their peers.
He want them to approach the issue of stigma as their own and to do everything possible to reduce the scars from the survivors rather than using derogatory words against the survivors.
He called them to be agent of change in order to alter misconceptions about the disease saying that the disease is not a death sentence.
He said , if stigma is not well handled it can cause serious health problems, leading to depression and suicide
While moderating the discussion, Katherine Odok gave her own life experiences with some uninformed persons trying to undermine her personality even in the market place.
She noted that without courage , she would have allowed the comments to stigmatise her, stressed that each person has rights to his or her lifestyle.
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She challenged the students to avoid costly jokes in public as it has potential to dehumanise and to create scars on some people.
He advised them to build trust and resilience and to develop thick skin against perceived challenges.
While stressing the need for effective communication that will discourage stigma, said , all hands must be on deck to fight the scourge as figures recently released by Kogi state Action Committee on Aids was alarming.
According to her every one has innate super power , which could be harnessed for his or her social and economic transformation, stressing that the individual past events should be consigned to the dustbin of history.
In the same vein, Aminat Adewale, Prevention Coordinator, Aids Healthcare Foundation AHF said , the conversation targets the youth who have discretion with their peers and their high population should an asset in discouraging the preponderance of stigmatisation of the HIV/ Aids survivors.
She added that the students, if properly educated and informed about the disease, would be able to contribute substantially to the ending of stigma.
She charged them to do regular testing and to avoid unwholesome behaviours as they are expected to take responsibility of their lives.
In his contribution, the President of Students Union Government SUG, Comrade Benjamin Olorufemi , said, the dialogue was very impactful, educative , which has made them to identify the consequences of stigmatisation and social discrimination.
The student body however, called for regular hosting of seminars, conferences and outreaches to sensitise the University Community on the dangers of stigma in all its ramifications.
He charged the students to disseminate credible information that will alter the behaviour of people towards those suffering from the disease, noting that the youths posses the power to help the society to get better in their approaches to survivors.
A participant, Miss Grace Yakubu, a 300 level Mass Communication, urged the society to show love to the survivors rather than making them to feel bad about their lives which could lead to depression and death.
She disclosed that the disease is not a death sentence, hence, the society should treat the victims, just like any ailment.
According to her, human beings are created by God and God alone rules the affairs of men, hence, they should not be made an outcast.
” My advice for the patients is for them not to dwell on their past,and what the people are saying about them . They should be bold , no matter the mistakes, dust it and pick up the better version of their lives”
To Miss Beatrice Aiyedusho, a mass Communication student, urged the people to show survivors much love and how to build their confidence and resilience to fight stigma, saying stigmatisation first occured in the imagination of the victims.
She promise to use her talents to build favourable voice for victims
Highlight of the event was the free testing , distribution of Condoms and how to effectively utilise it for harmonious sexual relationship
