Lenya RG, Aduwa PA, Dimba RO, Awandu NB; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. F12099.
TAPWAK, Nairobi, Kenya
ISSUE: To document step by step 18 years positive and negative personal experience of living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. Africa is known for her constrained resources to support PLWHAs diverse needs in terms of treatment, nutrition, psychological care, stigma and more so illiteracy barriers. DESCRIPTION: I tested HIV+ in 1985 at a time when Kenyans knew very little about HIV and AIDS with the Government at the time suggesting isolation camps for PLWHAs; as AIDS was claimed purely a white mans disease yet at the time we had not traveled to a while man's land or had sex with their daughters or sons. Few of us developed courage and discussed our health conditions with one Professor at Nairobi University School of Medical Sciences and he told us that " AIDS IS A NUTRITIONAL DISORDER". Listening to the Professor, we developed a strange interest and started a " NUTRITION CLUB" and researched from library to library for information on nutritional benefits, which detailed what value every kind of food, provides to the body. A year afterwards, we had knowledge of every kind and type of food we needed but we did not have resources to acquire the foods. With further discussions at the NUTRITION CLUB, we convinced ourselves that we must discuss our predicament with the affluent for resources and with everybody else for company and empowerment; we later realized that we were on the way to going public with our HIV+ condition that finally started to de-stigmatize HIV/AIDS in Kenya. LESSONS LEARNT: Nutrition keeps the immune system levels high and AIDS is delayed. AIDS support groups empower people living with HIV/AIDS to cope psychologically, de-stigmatize AIDS and give it a human face. RECOMMENDATIONS: Nutrition when well and professionally guided will help to maintain high levels of immunity in PLWHAs necessary in keeping away milliards of opportunistic infections and delaying onset of AIDS. PLWHAs should be encouraged as much as possible through networks to form AIDS support groups as empowerment forums.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Africa
- Counseling
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Planning Guidelines
- Health Services Needs and Demand
- Humans
- Immune System
- Kenya
- Male
- Nutrition Disorders
- Nutrition Physiology
- Organizations
Other ID:
UI: 102257170
From Meeting Abstracts