AIDS Activists Urge Others Living with the Disease to Become Their Own Advocates

When Nigerian John Ibikwe was told he couldn't marry at his church because his bride was HIV-positive, he refused to take no for an answer. At the time, in 1995, the Catholic Church in his hometown of Onitsha prohibited marriages when one partner had HIV. But Ibikwe, who did not have the virus then, persuaded the church officials to overturn the policy. "This is advocacy," said the 37-year-old Ibikwe, speaking yesterday at the International Conference for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Trinidad. "Advocacy works a lot. You can change policies." After his marriage, Ibikwe contracted HIV from his wife. They are still married and have a 3-year-old child who is HIV-negative. Other HIV-positive couples have now also married at the church, he said.

The five-day conference -- which ended Wednesday -- focused on improving the lives of those living with the virus. Forums dealt with issues such as access to treatment, overcoming discrimination and involving more HIV-positive individuals in advocacy. This year's conference was planned in the Caribbean because the region, excluding Cuba, has the second highest rate of infection next to sub-Saharan Africa. About 500,000 people in the Caribbean are living with the virus. That means approximately 2 percent of the people have HIV/AIDS. In Cuba, extensive treatment and prevention have kept infection rates extremely low.

As in Africa, discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS is a formidable obstacle in the Caribbean. Conference organizers hope patients will organize themselves to fight against this prejudice. "We believe ourselves to be people too," said Trinidadian Yolanda Simon, the conference's chairperson. "And partners in the development of our respective environments."

Back to other CDC news for November 1, 2001

Previous Updates