MYTHS VERSUS PROVEN FACTS AND LOGIC.

To day has been eye opening and challenging due to the interesting discussions we had with Dr Femi from world vision as part of the ASK Training.

The doctor re emphasized that we are the future and we need to be very proactive and also challenge things and not to follow hear say from people especially about HIV/AIDS.

Since AIDS was discovered in Africa there have been so many myths about it and people have believed them simply because we do not have the right information or our cultures bent our thinking towards a certain direction that is contrary to the real scenario. Some of these myths have led to increased spread of the epidermic, reduced life span of the infected people and later death.

I have been affected by HIV/AIDS because I lost my dear Auntie who because of too much belief in witch craft refused to accept that she was infected .The signs and symptoms of the virus were so visible on her body but strongly believed that some one bewitched her and she never went for treatment until the day she was laid to rest. She left behind one son and daughter. May her soul rest in eternal peace.

Other Myths are;

That when you have malaria and go for HIV testing, you might come out positive even if you have the virus.

Drinking a lot of milk can prevent HIV/AIDS.

In South Africa it’s said that having sex with a virgin will cure AIDS. The younger the virgin, the more potent the cure. This has led to an epidemic of rapes by infected males, with the correspondent infection of innocent kids. Many have died in these cruel rapes.

Eating a lot of garlic cures HIV/AIDS.

Mosquito bites can cause HIV/AIDS.

ARV’s cure HIV/AIDS.

This list can be endless but the point is that lets not rely on these un proven facts and as youths and university students we should challenge the people who say such things. If we do this I believe we will save the lives of people who would have contracted the disease or died of this scourge.

For those of us who thought that know everything about HIV/AIDS, we are simply lying to ourselves and will pay dearly for being ignorant about what kills 60% of people in sub-Saharan africa.