Discrimination must not be tolerated

Tuesday’s news that a village in Chon Buri wants a non-profit facility housing HIV patients to leave must be viewed as a violation of basic rights. The decision negates the achievements of the Thai government and others in the country to stem stigma and discrimination against those living with HIV.
Thailand’s first HIV-related case appeared in 1984. Since then, prevention and control of HIV have become national priorities, with various campaigns implemented to increase awareness about HIV and Aids. But it is the populations at risk of HIV that remain highly stigmatised here. People who use drugs, female sex workers, same-sex-oriented men and transgender people continue to face social stigma and in some cases legal sanctions that prevent them from fully engaging in community life.
So many years into the HIV epidemic, stigma and discrimination should be a thing of the past – especially in Thailand, which has some of the region’s best services for people living with HIV. That is why Tuesday’s news that a village voted to kick out an NGO housing 48 HIV-positive people is so shocking. The Nation reported that the Glory Hut Foundation was told to leave because its residents were affecting land values and business. “We’re not disturbing the villagers. We just want to help care for our patients,” an NGO official was quoted as saying.
We urge provincial and national government officials in Thailand to take full recourse of all available laws to make sure that such discrimination is not tolerated and that people living with HIV are not discriminated against.
Discrimination also keeps some people from getting the counselling and lifesaving treatment they need. This is not only detrimental to those affected but also increases the spread of the disease. Recent medical findings have shown that living with HIV is not a death sentence and that timely intervention and treatment not only make for better, healthier lives but also significantly reduce the risk of transmission to others.
There is absolutely no risk of HIV being passed from one person to another in normal public life. You cannot, for example, catch HIV by shaking hands, sharing the same toilet or eating from the same plate.
It is stigma and discrimination that fuels the spread of HIV infections and hinders the practice of safe and effective prevention. Stigma and discrimination pose significant obstacles to accessing testing, treatment, care and support services.
We understand that stigma and discrimination are major issues affecting people living with HIV. Yesterday’s news brings this to the forefront. It also shows just show how much more work has still to be done by government and civil society to address HIV stigma and discrimination within communities and to remove unjustified fear of people living with HIV.
 Nikorn Chimkong
Executive director of the HIV Foundation Thailand