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arvs, breastfeeding, circumcision, condoms, drug resistance, lipodystrophy, mail & guardian, mythsDispelling HIV myths: Knowledge is power
JournAIDS
26 August 2011
The Mail & Guardian’s Bonitas health supplement does a sterling job of dispelling common myths around HIV.
Although HIV as long been a deadly specter within South African society most South Africans are still unaware of the ins and outs of the virus.
For example, many people are aware that HIV is the virus which causes AIDS, but they do not know that HIV and AIDS are not the same thing.
This is one of the myths that the M&G addresses in their article which explores and explodes common HIV myths.
Other myths addressed include misconceptions around male circumcision, unprotected sex between HIV positive people, HIV and pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The small piece on ARVs best illustrates how important it is to address and dispel HIV myths which could have devastating consequences.
People living with HIV might not take their ARVs because they believe that taking the drugs could disfigure them. Not taking ARVs as prescribed could result in the drugs not working (drug resistance) and is potentially life-threatening.
This is why it is crucial that people know that ARVs which can cause lipodystrophy are not as widely used as in the past and that the benefits of ARVs outweigh their side-effects.
The news media is an important source of information which reaches millions of people every day. It therefore represents an invaluable medium for communicating HIV-related information to the public.
The saying “knowledge is power” comes to mind. A public with substantial knowledge of HIV is a public that is empowered to protect itself.
For more HIV-related myths and misconceptions click here.
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