HIV wrecking families despite increased awareness
By Regis Nhumba
It is now more than three decades since the first case of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) was reported in Zimbabwe. Despite significant in-roads that have been made towards treatment and care, the virus continues to destroy families.
Mamo Manyawu (30) is a villager who used to reside with her husband and three children in Mbembesi, a farming community 65 kilometres north-west of Bulawayo metropolitan province. Mamo says her family was recently torn apart when she tested positive to HIV.
“Since 2021, I had not been feeling well. When the situation got worse, I decided to seek for medical help at our local clinic. I was treated and discharged, but the condition did not change. When I got to the clinic again, I was advised to get an HIV test,” says Mamo.
Mamo says she was shocked when her result came positive. She says she had never imagined herself getting the virus.
“When I got the result, I went home and informed my husband. He was angry about it and accused me of bringing the virus into his home. After some serious exchange of words, my husband also decided to go and get tested,” says Mamo.
Mamo says when her husband got hit HIV test result, he became violent and accused her of bringing the virus into his home. She says her husband became violent and assaulted her, ordering her to leave his home.
“It was a traumatic experience. I had injuries all over the body and had difficulties in walking. Since I did not have money to get transport to my parents’ home, I walked all the way back home, a distance of about 10 kilometres. I had luggage and my small children,” says Mamo.
Mamo says although HIV can now be managed effectively and the drugs are now easily available, many Zimbabweans are still scared of the virus, and stigma and discrimination are still rampant.
Elizabeth Chikwata (29) is one such young woman who still feels that HIV is a death senetence despite all the progress made in treatment and care.
“There has been enough awareness raising on the issue of HIV but for me it is still like a death sentence. I will never deliberately get into a relationship with a person who has a virus. I will be risking a lot and that is like shortening my life span. These days there is a lot of information about HIV I am always scared of getting infected,” says Elizabeth.
Elizabeth says her fears are based on what society or her friends and family will react if she were to get HIV.
“Once people find out that one is HIV positive, they get scared to even share with you a pencil thinking that they might get the virus. They have all the knowledge about the virus but they are just scared of what ‘if’ this happens. If I found out that my partner is positive and I am negative, I will definitely leave him,” say Elizabeth.
Alfred Gombiro, an HIV counsellor with a local institution says the majority of the population is now aware of how HIV is spread, but they are still afraid of associating with people living with HIV.
“Even if we tell someone infected by HIV that there is therapy, they still struggle to accept the condition. Some may become suicidal or depressed. Whenever one is positive it is not easy to accept especially with the relatives because in their minds the person is now a ‘breathing grave’. This is why in a family if one gets the virus they are isolated from the rest of the family,” says Alfred.
Alfred says it is important to continue educate people about the virus so that they make informed decisions. He says there are many people who react like Mamo’s husband out there who need counselling so that they understand the importance of family support when one is HIV positive.
