Learning about new ways to combat HIV & AIDS
26 August 2008
The Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy organised a workshop hosting Ebony P. Johnson as Guest Speaker at their Multipurpose Room. Ebony Johnson is a Community Advocacy, Education & Empowerment Specialist and has a huge wealth of experience dealing HIV and AIDS. The meeting was to discuss actions, new developments and trends in combating HIV/AIDS in Cameroon and to share new strategies, experiences and best practices. The workshop took close to 2 hours starting at 2:30PM.
The CCAM delegation was highly represented by Dr Esther Tallah, Akere-Maimo and the WG heads of the P&I and Development & Resource Mobilisation, Pierre and Antoine. They were present together with representatives from other associations. There were about 20 participants in total at the workshop.
At the start of the workshop, Ebony asked participants to “put words into space” – the space as she declared belonged to us as we exchange ideas during the time allocated. Understanding this clearly as what each person is ready to contribute in the fight against HIV&AIDS, the following expectations were retained: understanding and fraternity to PLWHA, responsible parenthood, partnership and ownership, sharing and caring, more IEC on HIV & AIDS, reduction of stigma, Malaria and HIV&AIDS integration and strengthen LACCs through networking and sharing of common experiences.
The Guest Speaker gave participants some time to reflect and introspect on the ravages that AIDS has caused the world, leaving untold scars of agony and distress.
Among the several issues addressed, she spoke on the need of positive social change, giving AIDS a “human face” and correcting cultural myths, talking freely about sex and having healthy sexual life, pre-test counselling, mass messaging accompanying mass screening, stopping female cuts and tears, empowering the women and educating the men and most importantly, GIPA (Greater Involvement of PLWHA). At the end, she encouraged all to be more proactive and make fight against HIV&AIDS a personal affair by calving out our own role in the “space” provided rather than wait for aid elsewhere. We should be anti-stigma, option-based and inclusive and should serve as frontline providers no matter our field of study.
As food for thought, Ebony P. Johnson hammered: “The more we talk, the more we value their intelligence and the more they become experts of themselves” – this referring to sexuality education and weeding out the element of stigma among PLWHA.
CCAM also adds to this by saying that there is need for the integration of malaria and HIV&AIDS as many at times cases of co-infection have been reported.
For more on Ebony P. Johnson, simply click on the link: http://www.cameroon-coalition-malaria.org/pages/people_in_the_news.html
