STAMINA
(Stop Stigma Negatif dan Diskriminasi HIV&AIDS)
SCORA CIMSA UPH
The words ‘HIV & AIDS' is undoubtedly not foreign to most; But amongst those who do, what percentage of them fully understand what HIV & AIDS is?
Understanding HIV & AIDS does not mean only knowing “what it stands for." However, it refers to individuals who can comprehend this disease's reality and can overcome and fight discrimination against HIV & AIDS in themselves.
According to a 2012 study done on teenagers aged 15-19, 71,63% of them are still prejudiced against HIV patients, while 49,10% have minimal knowledge about AIDS. Several factors, such as to cause this prejudice and stigma surrounding HIV-positive people
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Minimum knowledge about HIV & AIDS.
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Incorrect perception of how HIV & AIDS are transmitted.
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Knowledge about HIV & AIDS that came from incorrect sources.
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Anxiety and fear that exceed normal limits with regards to sensitive social issues.
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Taking inappropriate actions and medications with regards to HIV&AIDS.
When these feelings of shame, indignity, and humiliation are successfully transferred to HIV patients, they internalize stigma. They may prevent these patients from getting their appropriate testings and treatments they crucially need to live relatively everyday life. Among the 640,000 HIV Indonesian patients in 2018, only 51% were aware of their disease, and only 17% underwent treatment.
As such, SCORA from CIMSA UPH, as a standing committee responsible for reproductive health and rights, including HIV & AIDS, uploaded a post on Instagram on the 21st of December 2020 containing a series of short facts and information regarding the disease.
As well as uploaded a podcast titled ‘Stop Stigma Negatif dan Diskriminasi HIV & AIDS,' or STAMINA for short on Spotify on the 9th of January 2021 as a means to further educate the general population about HIV & AIDS with hopes to diminish and tackle the negative stigma by increasing the awareness and knowledge of others about HIV & AIDS.
Refusing to help, socialize, and to include HIV-positive people is not cool and will never be trendy, nor is it appropriate to do so.
Together, we can help bring peace and relief to people living with HIV & AIDS, and perhaps, in saving a precious soul.
