HIV/AIDS Ambassador, Joyce Dzidzor, is doubtful that the stigma occasioned by the disease will anytime soon be reduced to its barest minimum.
Speaking on Angel FM’s Anↄpa Bↄfoↄ morning show on September 13, 2021, the ambassador said the misconceptions about the disease are ingrained from the very root cause—the business strategy of the scientists to make profits—which is why the stigma is difficult to deal with.
“It is a business strategy. All viruses [including HIV and Covid-19] have one thing in common—to break your immune system down, that’s all. But someone creates the virus and another creates the stigma. Without the stigma you will not be afraid.
“If they make the disease so dangerous leaving the people in fear, then they create the vaccines for people to rush and purchase them for vaccination. That’s how they make their money,” she told Kofi Adoma Nwanwani.
Having battled the virus to the point of impossibility to transmit to anybody due to the low viral load in her body, Joyce hoped that her current status would change the perception of the public about HIV but unfortunately it has not been the case.
“I don’t know what kind of disease can overcome the stigma around HIV/AIDS; Ebola couldn’t do it, even Covid-19 could not. HIV should be preferred to Covid-19, considering the number of years [14 years] I have survived the disease, but unfortunately is it not so. The stigma around HIV will not go anytime soon.” she said in disappointment.
