(Women Gateway)
Some are old while some are young. They meet every week to share their experiences of living with HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus), despite being strangers. But what unites them in their support group is ‘Mother Teresa’ from Bahrain- Dr. Soumya Al Jowder, head of the National AIDS Committee at the health ministry.
“ She is the Bahraini Mother Teresa for all the people suffering from AIDS/HIV. Dr.Soumya treats everyone with love and care. I would be in jail or dead by now id she did not help me,” says Y, who is infected with virus since last year.
The doctor who addressed12 Bahraini people living with HIV in the support group said yesterday, there were a long mile to go for the rights of people infected with the virus.
“ No one is ready to speak or listen about sex or condoms. Young people who are the vulnerable group are reluctant to know about the spread of virus through sharing needles or intercourse with multiple partners. But someone has to do the job,” the doctor told the Tribune.
The support group that started since Sunday concluded yesterday was organized by US Agency for International Development (USAID).
In an exclusive interview, several HIV patients shared their experiences of living with the disease in a conservative society, as they invited us to their support group.
“ Its hard and painful. But we get hope to live long during discussions with health experts and people living with the virus. Dr.
Soumya has taught us to love ourselves which helps us to silently fight the virus,” said A, who is an HIV carrier since 2006.
He explains he was a drug addict for 15 years and got the virus while sharing needles.
HIV and AIDS cases in Bahrain afflict mostly those aged between 29 to 35, according to health authorities. Most of the recent cases of HIV have been traced to drug addiction. Several women whose husbands are also infected attended the support group. There is currently no mandatory HIV-testing for Bahrainis except for couples required to undergo the test as part of pre-nuptial procedures.
But there is a ray of hope for J. “ There are new effective drugs in the market which helps us to start a family without infecting the child. I am looking forward to get married despite living with HIV. We know that there is no cure but living with no hope is as good as dead.”
There are six AIDS and HIV cases of children under the age of 15 registered in Bahrain.Two children with AIDS died in 2003 and 2004.
In recent times, Dr. Al Jowder said vice dens were a major breeding station for diseases, ranging from STDs(sexually transmitted diseases) to hepatitis cases or killer AIDS. In Bahrain, raids on places suspected to be sex dens almost strictly remain a police business or a matter for the courts to settle. Workers found engaged in sex trade are slapped with jail terms and immediately deported thus preventing local health workers to monitor possible HIV and STD cases.
“ Everyone goes hush hush when prostitution issue is raised. Bahrain society is slowly ready to accept some facts rather than ignoring them. The attitude of the people has also changed they are more aware that they cannot contract AIDS by eating or touching the patients. We need to tackle this issue collectively to solve the bigger problem,”
she said.
HIV-AIDS is spread only through sexual activity, blood transfusion and intravenous drug use. Expatriates found to have HIV are first given basic treatment at the hospital and then repatriated.
Health authorities have detected two HIV cases among Bahraini men in the first three months of this year. According to the figures, the accumulated cases of Aids/ HIV in the country from 1986 until 2008 is-
344 among Bahrainis and more than 590 in Non- Bahrainis. Bahrain, among countries in the Middle East and African region is categorised as a “low prevalence country” meaning its ratio of HIV-AIDS patients is way below the estimated prevalence around the world.
“ My fight is not with the disease but for the rights of people with HIV to live a life like any normal person lives,” Dr.Al Jowder says, as we leave the Bahraini Mother Teresa who continues to promise a fresh lease of life for her patients.