Washington Post examines HIV/AIDS rights, responsibilities questions

Some people say it is the fault of HIV positive people to be infected. Myabe they did not take enough precautions. That I can kind of live with. But then they say that HIV Positive people need to take full responsibility for transmission of the virus and this just not seem to add up. So which one is it. Do we take full responsibility for transmission (to others). Then the person who transmitted it to me is their fault right. as long as we blame others we will never come to terms with the HIV pandemic. There will always be a section of the population who are HIV positive and do not wish to be tested. In different countries, the percentage is different. In the UK, where medications are largely avaialbe and free on the NHS, there is still one third that remain undiagnosed. in Africa this percentage is a lot higher. It did stand at 80% but is coming down. Any laws which criminialise transmission of HIV will make more people scared and anxious to be tested and laws which discriminate against people with HIV - work, sexual relations will result in less people willing to be tested and the virus to spread even more unchecked. I think I am correct ont he point that Bulgaria introduced a law that one cannot be held responsibile for transmitting HIV and they now have one of the lowest HIV infection rates in the world. No one will protect them and people know that it is their responsibility to practise safe sex. Is this not the message we wish to get across?

HIv is in fact not a easy transmittable virus (something which makes stigma even higher) since those infected are now seen to having deserved it. But with condoms and succesful virological treatment it is near impossible to transmit HIV, and as long as this remains the case (low viral loads) then people have little to worry about. But we HIV positive people always are fighting the same battle. Pushing the same boulder up the hill if we don't have enough to contend with. sometimes poor health and getting back into employment. We now have to also deal with massive discrimination, ignoarance and stigma and frankly do not wish to know.

When will the discrimination end...!!??? when will be accepted back into society? When will people understand the risks? When will they become more knowledgeable? When will they read more? When will they understand the science...?? And when will lawmakers make laws which help people to protect themselves rather than laws that promote ignorance? If laws are passed to criminalise HIV transmission, it will make people less likely to test, as a way of defence that they never knew.

David Hempster aka ML