Well am a young man from UGANADA in East Africa, which is one of the Nations that were first devastated by this deadly virus, at one time the infection rate stood at 30% of the population but with open government policy of fighting the diseases, the rate now stands at about 6% of the total population. Well at the moment most people infected are not currently openly accessing treatment from Health center basically because wide spread stigma and limited treatment services available to HIV persons but this is party due limited funds the government budgets for this sector. Most people are not freely living with AIDS /HIV due to the fact that discrimination against them is still wide spread here. They fear to be seen even going for HIV testing,
To make the matter worse currently most testing center are so public. What is sad about this situation is the many people in this country still openly discriminate HIV positve persons, Many times up on revealling your status you begin to be isolated by even close friend and faily members , They just have to be forgiving, God fearing and strong enough to accept you as a part of them.
On some occussion HIV POSITIVE persons have even got sacked from work by their employers on learning their HIV status.
The have been reports of HIV+ committing sucide especially those who can not with stand the pressure of living positive and feeling rejected.
I personelly tested HIV positive in 2002 but life has not been easy for me. I have still kept this a secret and not even my parents know about it. My biggest fear is their reaction on breaking this sad news to them. I do have a feeling that they could either just ignore me or make it hard for me to stay with then as a family, I guess you know how disappointed they will be given the fact the iam their first born and they have heavily invested their resources in me.They have educated me up to university, it is really painful hearing this.Besides this am suppoesd to be examplary to my follwers which i have not done instead i will be a big shame to the entire family.
People here just can not be trusted easily and it is the reason why since 2002 I have been been in touch with a number of other positive friends out side my country,I love to hear from them because they really make my day especially when i recieve e-mails from them. The reason is that they are also the only people who know about am positive at the moment.

Right now am lookng forward to interact with other positive friends or just supportive friends out there ven if thet are not positive too. I really do do not know if it rigth for you to be that friend am looking for or you could as well link me up with other persons faced with a simillar situation ,At the moment my dream is to pursue a post graduate degree and get a pay stable job the will be enable me meet the costs of all my medicals in future, Presently am not on drugs yet,
I know when i can do most of the things for my self with out totally depending on my parent. I strongly belive they may be willing to live freely with me when i finally reveal my status to them since at the point i willbe footing my own bills. i.e manging my own life without having to bother them.
I ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF OTHER READERS ARE REALLY FAECED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF FEARING TO REVAEL THEIR STATUS TO AVIOD ISOLATION BY FRIEND OR RELATIVES,
PLEASE INTERESTED FRIENDS CAN WRITE BACK THROUGH. I WILL BE GRATEFUL TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL


Email Author

Sent via Email, March 5, 2005 from East Africa.