NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Diseases Programme at the Ministry of Health Dr Nikkiah Forbes said health officials continue to get reports of stigmatization against novel coronavirus patients, including among some who recover and return to work.
Among individuals who tested positive for the virus, some have expressed concerns about being stigmatized, including healthcare workers who contracted the virus after treating COVID-positive patients.
“When there are emerging infections that we know little about, the reactions are sometimes alarm, fear, stigma, discrimination, blaming, shunning people, irrational behavior and it generally makes things a lot worse,” she told Eyewitness News.
“And so, in some regards, we have been getting reports that people who contracted COVID-19, that they did experience some discrimination and stigma, and it’s very sad, and really ought not to happen.
“We know it’s a repository virus, which is very contagious.
“Multiple persons in a population that are susceptible can get infected with COVID-19 and there is no reason why people should be stigmatized and discriminated against.
“What we should do rather is prepare, plan and prevent infections, including when we see persons use the appropriate personal protective equipment and that can help significantly to keep persons safe, including healthcare workers safe.”
She continued: “I want to reiterate that when someone recovers from COVID-19, they are no longer infectious.”
During a national address in April, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis committed to joining the frontlines of the “battle” against COVID if necessary.
He recalled the AIDS epidemic during the address.
He said while “many were afraid to touch or be near individuals who were diagnosed with AIDS”, healthcare professionals, recognizing their oath, “were no afraid” and cared for patients.
“I was with you then and if necessary, if I am needed, I will be with you again. After all, like you, I took the Hippocratic oath.”
People contracting HIV/AIDS during the pandemic in the 70s were heavily stigmatized.
Some destigmatization occurred in the 80s and 90s when public campaigns, statements, and examples of people living with the virus stepped forward, helping to remove some of the stigma — though this remains challenged in many parts of the world, including The Bahamas.
Forbes pointed out COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS said while the reaction to both viruses at the time of their emergence “could be irrational behavior” including stigma, the virology and transmission are vastly different.
Asked whether the comparison could have the unintended impact of stigmatizing COVID further, Forbes said: “I don’t agree that healthcare workers and the chance of transmission for caring for a person with HIV or AIDS is the same as COVID-19. So, for HIV we know that it is predominantly sexual contact or IV drug use or mother to baby or dirty needles or something like that. However, with COVID-19, it’s just simply you being in close contact — if you are breathing [in] the respiratory droplets. The only thing that is quite similar is that at one point they were both emerging viruses and people reacted with irrational behavior, stigmatization, discrimination, fear, and alarm. But what do we do? We need to know the facts. We need to know how to prevent the transmission of both viruses, which we do understand for both and do prevention strategies.”
As of Monday, confirmed cases topped 1,798 with 1,113 active cases.
A total of 634 cases had recovered, according to the Ministry of Health.
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