WHERE ARE THE CARING PLWHIV ADVISORS?

The national HIV/AIDS responses of the world have one basic flaw

and that is to assume that those living with HIV/AIDS are natural

experts and good people whose expertise needs to be made use

of in the HIV/AIDS response.

But that is not necessarily true. We do not use heart attack victims as

experts. Nor cancer victims. They may be the ones who least know

the reasons for their sickness and are least prepared to talk about the

mistakes they have made in their own lifestyle.

The problem may be that these people are not honest about their

affliction. They will use the opportunity to falsely justify their situation.

In Papua New Guinea, there are PLWHIV who are regularly asked to

talk to groups on HIV/AIDS but their own lifestyle does not match the

advice needed to be given.

We know that smoking is not healthy for PLWHIV as it affects the body

response. They suffer from a deficiency in red and white blood cells.

Research shows smoking PLWHIV have a lower CD4 count. So many

PLHIV smoke and do not include non-smoking in their advice. Alcohol

damages the body too. That too is advice never given.

A problem can be that there are many PLWHIV out there who may give

support. But there can be strong competition and intimidation from more

aggressive and violent PLWHIV for the key positions.

The standard message in PNG is on rights not the family message. There

will be PLWHIV who conform to anti-family messages to ensure support

or employment from organizations like AusAID and the UN. It suits them

to be anti-family. The foreign advisors love it.

They stand at meetings and tell with tears how they have been subject

to stigma and discrimination from family.

Some will not admit that they have been rejected due to drunkenness,

partying, cheating, violence and trouble-making. They were rejected

long before infection with HIV.

It may be an excuse for the fact that they are never home. They are

the ones who rejected family. It was a partying, boozing lifestyle that

caused their HIV infection in the first place. We are told we must not

judge. But we must not be naive and ignore reality.

Onset of dementia or pretended dementia can have a curious effect on

some PLWHIV. They can swing in moods from violent and hateful

to kind, diplomatic and urbane in the blink of an eyelid.

They may be abusing a family member when the pastor comes to the

door. Come in dear friend. It is so good to see you. I have always

respected your kindness. Dementia may bring to some a calculating

coldness and cruelty. For some families, this may be the last straw.

There has been one person who talks to the media on family rejection.

This person has lived with brothers and sisters and been kicked out

because of trouble-making and boozing. Family is deliberately being

humiliated through the media.

Few of the key PLWHIV are involved in support of churches. There

is little money in churches. It may be that foreign aid organizations have

a greater range of resources to be tapped.

A life of trouble-making causes some to be rejected from the foreign

aid organizations. They have gone too far. That leaves one final option

and that is to turn to Jesus.

This report comes from 10 years involvement with people living with

HIVand AIDS. There are those who understand the importance of

a family lifestyle and who live in close support from family members.

They follow Positive Living in the kind, gentle family life that they lived

before infection.

We need to understand that violent, cheating, boozing, promiscuous men

and women do not necessarily become loving, gentle saints after infection

who care for the future of the community.

They may eventually go back to their old lifestyle particularly after ARV

treatment becomes available to them. ARV gives them the chance to go

back to their old ways. In the present system, there is no accountability.

Newspapers will always want to hear of how they have been treated

badly by their family. Now that focus is moving to family, these people

will have less and less to say.

Founder of AIDS Holistics had considerable experience with PLWHA

as caretaker of 3 Angels Care. This centre was hijacked by the people

living there and made into their own accommodation that they defended

with violence.

A centre intended by owner Joe Lari to promote Positive Living turned

into a house where PLWHIV held parties and the women invited men to

live with them.

One woman used her room for prostitution and defended tenancy with

a knife. Founder of AIDS Holistics was sent in but faced only violence.

The centre was closed despite threats to the owner to burn the building.

In 2009, there was a report of a similar centre in Mount Hagen. False

reports were undoubtedly made to the media that the centre was not

respected by Mt Hagen men.

That was surely not the truth. It is more likely that the centre was used

for partying and prostitution. Being PLWHIV can be the ticket to easy

living.

The only true option for us all is peace, love, honesty and forgiveness
which are the keys to faith and Positive Living.