Denial that HIV/AIDS is real poses major barrier to prevention
 September 15, 2010 - Across the African continent, one of the biggest barriers to
the prevention of new HIV/AIDS infections is the denial of the reality and existence of the infection, according to Wendy Arnold, President of The Peer Education Program of Los Angeles.
Speaking in Accra after a series of workshops to train HIV/AIDS peer educators, Ms. Arnold said that although stigma and discrimination are major issues in Africa, denial
that the disease exists is a huge barrier towards preventing its spread. She says poverty and certain cultural practices also make it difficult for people to accept that they can play a role
in stopping HIV/AIDS. "We must integrate risk reduction into cultural practices like wife inheritance, and it must be done by Africans themselves," she said.
According to Ms. Arnold, the first approach to changing attitudes towards HIV/AIDS is to provide accurate information about the disease. She called for more education
in schools by teachers who would not be intimidated discussing sex. "There is the need for more discussions at churches and mosques. We must bring people with HIV/AIDS into churches and be open
about it," she said.
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Source: Ghana Business News
http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2010/09/15/denial-that-hivaids-is-real-poses-major-barrier-to-prevention/
"Reproduced with permission - Ghana Business News"
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