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17 May 2002 By Rana Sidani One million volunteers of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) will be mobilized in the campaign against HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination which began on 8 May to mark World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day. In parallel with the two-year HIV/AIDS campaign launched by the Federation, the IRCS launched nation-wide sensitizing programmes in its 28 branches. "We are the first country in the region which has such HIV/AIDS programmes", says Leila Khaleghi, who heads HIV/AIDS programmes at the IRCS. "The population's response to our HIV/AIDS activities has been very encouraging. People want to know more about the disease and they are ready to participate in the fight against stigma and discrimination related to it." This campaign is not the first of its kind for the IRCS. In 2001, 14 branches out of 28 had some HIV/AIDS-related project. This year, with the cooperation of the Iranian ministries of communications and health, national media will cover the IRCS campaign across the country. In Iran, injecting drugs is the biggest transmitter of HIV/AIDS. Officially, only about 3,800 cases of HIV/AIDS are reported, but the WHO estimates that non-diagnosed cases could reach 100,000. "Because of the stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS, many people don't dare to get medical help, that is why we believe that the real figure for affected people is higher than the official one," says Khaleghi. Stigma related to HIV/AIDS is considered as one of the fuelling causes which accelerate the spread of the disease. "In Iran", says Khaleghi, "stigma is very severe because of religion and traditional customs. That is why we are now focusing on explaining to people that sexual relations are not the only way to transmit the virus." IRCS offers financial and psychological support to HIV-infected people who lose their jobs because of their status, as well as to families who lose a relative to AIDS. In addition, IRCS is organizing seminars and workshops, publishing leaflets and posters and is setting up billboards around the country. Khaleighi says: "A counselling unit will be established in Tehran and gradually in all IRCS branches in order to provide support to affected persons or to their families nation-wide." "Women are the most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS," explains Ms. Khaleighi. "Wives are getting the virus through sexual relations with husbands who are injecting drug users. As a result, mothers give birth to HIV-positive babies." Special training courses have been organized for women and mothers to raise their awareness about how they can protect themselves and their children, like using condoms for example. In 2001, the IRCS established a central committee for HIV/AIDS to raise public awareness about the disease and to coordinate all programmes in IRCS branches. The committee, which includes young people, women and volunteers, is targeting not only the high risk groups such as youth, prisoners and drug users, but also the general public. Kermanshah province, north-west of Tehran has been very progressive in its HIV/AIDS activities. In 2001, following HIV/AIDS testing in prisons which found a high number of cases due to sharing infected needles, the local IRCS branch took the first initiative to establish training courses and other programmes. The Iranian Red Crescent has nearly 2 million volunteers (45 per cent men, 55 per cent women) and a staff of some 5,000. Related Links: 17 May 2002 - Iran Red Crescent leads change in people's attitude towards HIV/AIDS 08 May 2002 - Stigma adds fuel to the fire of AIDS pandemic |
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