Time for men to get over the fear and stigma of HIV

The HIV/Aids statistics of South Africa show that fewer men than women are affected by HIV and Aids.

That is according to research conducted by www.avert.org. It further says: “Women are disproportionately affected by HIV in South Africa. In 2017, 26% of women were estimated to be living with HIV, compared to an estimated 15% of men. In 2018, 140,000 women and 86,000 men became HIV positive. In the same year, 4.7 million women were living with HIV compared to 2.8 million men.”

However, this should be taken with a pinch of salt, considering that there is also information that shows that men avoid going to the doctor or clinic for basic healthcare.

According to Dr Tisha Rowe, founder of the telemedicine network RoweDocs, there are often a few other things contributing as well such as: fear, superhero syndrome, and the fact that “vulnerability sucks”.

Again, the limiting cage that is patriarchy and gender stereotypes are stifling our humanity as men. We die inside yet we can have illnesses and viruses detected early and find solutions. We are scared to be told bad news, yet we act and carry ourselves in a macho manner that is supposed to make us look brave.

The truth of the matter is, fearing undesirable outcomes shows how timid we are as men. It shows that we have to do better to speak out and disclose our symptoms to be able to deal with the potential diagnosis.

Dr Rowe further said: “As a primary care doctor, I think the number one reason men avoid the doctor is fear. They worry about a bad diagnosis or a bad outcome.”

Furthermore, according to www.aidsmap.com in July 2020: “Men can be encouraged to test for HIV by other men and healthcare services targeted towards them, but men are often overlooked for HIV testing when they do attend healthcare facilities, studies from Zambia and Malawi presented at the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020:Virtual) this week show.”

The research also reveals that men with HIV are consistently less likely to be diagnosed with HIV. Demographic studies show that men are less likely to take an HIV test. Understanding the factors that encourage men to test for HIV or make testing more accessible might help to improve the testing uptake and HIV diagnosis in men in sub-Saharan Africa.

As we celebrate World Aids Day on 1 December, let’s create more spaces where men can go to for their health.

To all boys and men, it is important for us to realise that we have to overcome our negative attitude towards seeking medical care. It is for our own good health. In our failure to prevent, seeking cure is the best next option.

Happy World Aids Day.

Kabelo Chabalala.

Kabelo Chabalala is the founder and chairperson of the Young Men Movement (YMM), an organisation that focuses on the reconstruction of the socialisation of boys to create a new cohort of men.

Email: kabelo03chabalala@gmail.com
Twitter: @KabeloJay
Facebook: Kabelo Chabalala

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