Booklet on HIV testimonies launched

The National AIDS Control Commission (CNLS) in partnership with Family Health International (FHI), on Wednesday, launched a booklet of testimonies from people living with HIV/AIDS. During the launch, the acting Executive Secretary of CNLS, Gaston Rusiha, said that the book contains selected testimonies from 72 people living with HIV/AIDS, with details of their various life experiences. “This book is very important in behavioural change communication and we hope that it will assist people to live positively with AIDS,” Rusiha said. Rusiha added that testimonies were drawn from a qualitative research where various groups of people; the rich, poor, married, single and pregnant women participated. Emmanuel Munyambanza, a Research Associate at FHI, noted that there is still an information gap on the way people deal with the reality of being infected with the virus and that the research was done to inform the public of HIV programmes. “This booklet will be used by health workers to assist people living with the disease. Various themes were covered such as depression, denial, discordant and concordant couples, and family planning,” Munyambaza explained. Officials emphasized that in most cases, people react differently on hearing that their HIV status is positive adding that the booklet serves as a guideline with testimonies that help them deal with such situations.So far 3,000 copies have been distributed countrywide. Ends