Men and women at low risk can test for HIV or not as they choose. It will make little difference to their personal health or the public's health.
Jamie
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Fighting HIV
Ni Ni Tun
Myanmar Times
7 Dec 2018
Even Women at Low Risk for HIV Should Know Their Status.
Ma Hla Myat (not her real name) discovered she was HIV positive after her husband died of AIDS. “Why do I have HIV? I did nothing wrong. I was good.” Unfortunately, every year, many women in Myanmar are shocked to find out they are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
This is not only happening in Myanmar.The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reports that an estimated 50 million women in Asia are at risk of becoming infected with HIV from their intimate partners. Data from several Asian countries show that many women are either married or in long-term relationships with men who engage in high-risk sexual behaviours. Men who buy sex constitute the largest HIV infected population group – and most of them are either married or will get married, according to UNAIDS. This behaviour of husbands or partners endangers a very large number of women, often perceived as at ‘low-risk’.
Know your status
The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day, held on December 1, was “Know your status”. Even if you do not think you are at risk, it is important to take an HIV test to find out your status. HIV testing is essential to receive quick treatment so that women who are infected can still lead healthy and productive lives. Unfortunately, there are still many barriers to HIV testing in Myanmar. Stigma and discrimination keeps many women from taking an HIV test. Access to confidential HIV testing is still an issue of concern. Unfortunately, many women, like Hla Myat, still only get tested after contracting the virus and showing signs of AIDS.
We know that women who experience physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their husbands are approximately four times more likely to become infected with HIV than married women who were not abused. According to a recent national survey, in Myanmar, at least one out of ten women having a husband or regular partner has experienced personal violence from this person in the past 12 months.
“A women who is abused by her husband is truly placed in a situation of ‘double jeopardy’ regarding HIV infection in that his sexual behaviour outside of the marriage makes it more likely he is infected with the virus, and his abusive behaviour inside the marriage leaves her with little control over sex or sexual protection,” said the lead author of a study on violence against indian women.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is currently ongoing, from November 25 to December 10. This is a time when we all need to take action to end violence against women and girls. This is a time when all women should be tested for HIV and know their status.
To this end, you can do HIV testing at your nearest government health centre or in INGO and NGO clinics. Let’s do the testing NOW!
Dr Ni Ni Tun, Medical Director, Medical Action Myanmar, Yangon
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/fighting-hiv.html
