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allAfrica.com: Botswana: We Need Privacy in HIV Tests - the Disabled (Page 1 of 1)
The president of Botswana Association of the Deaf, Maggie Mapharing and an intern at BONELA, Shirley Keoagile, have cried foul at being left behind in the intervention strategies in the fight against HIV.
"It is difficult for us to go for HIV tests due to lack of confidentiality. This is because we have to go with sign language interpreters, which compromises our right to confidentiality," Keoagile said. She said confidentiality is important in HIV testing, and lack of it or the absence of a guarantee it becomes a hindrance.
Both Mapharing and Keoagile have a hearing impairment and are advocates for people with disability.
Keoagile said there are many who are HIV positive but cannot come out in the open for fear of further discrimination and stigma.
"Very few of us are aware about HIV and have less confusing information. However, illiteracy is the barrier we are facing because most of us do not know how to read sign languages or can lip-read," she said.
Keoagile said at the recent workshop on HIV/AIDS and the deaf, where they were taught on different issues such as ARV, PMTCT, CD4 count among others, it was evident that people were still behind in their awareness. She said although three quarters of the participants tested for HIV, she wondered who would assist them once they got home. She said that communication with people with hearing impairment was a big challenge even to family members.
She said interpretation conducted at the workshop was made in American Sign Language used in textbooks in schools, however it is different from Botswana sign language. She said the message should be clear and that they are people in need of special attention. "Is it not a violation of human rights, if one is tested when they are not ready?" she asked.
Keoagile works on a project of HIV/AIDS, human rights and people with disabilities at BONELA.
Mapharing noted that she had a sick client whom she took to the hospital. "I had to be by her side when waiting for the results, and when they came out, she broke down," she said.
She said that she had to continue to assist her, even going with her for regular check-ups until she was able to accept her situation. "Imagine it was only one client, and it was so burdensome. But where is the privacy and confidentiality?" she asked.
They noted that there was no single board member with a disability championing the cause for the disabled at Botswana Society for Disabled.
Mapharing said one "needs to understand why they should go for an HIV test or how HIV infection is transmitted". She said through Botswana sign language, more people could hear and understand why they needed to test. Mapharing said there is a need of strong campaign and community outreach, education on pregnancy, sexual reproductive health including targeting of parents. She said there was need for people to learn the deaf culture in order to communicate. "Otherwise they (the deaf) will be lost and remain in the dark," she said.
The two called for sufficient interpreters who are able to interpret in Botswana sign language, not volunteers who abandon their duties. "Botswana needs to promote its own sign language through research and consultation," she said.
Mapharing said by next year, she is hopeful of Sign Language Council or even an introduction of the course at the University of Botswana and eventually a dictionary.
The president of Botswana Association of the Deaf, Maggie Mapharing and an intern at BONELA, Shirley Keoagile, have cried foul at being left behind in the intervention strategies in the fight against HIV.
"It is difficult for us to go for HIV tests due to lack of confidentiality. This is because we have to go with sign language interpreters, which compromises our right to confidentiality," Keoagile said. She said confidentiality is important in HIV testing, and lack of it or the absence of a guarantee it becomes a hindrance.
Both Mapharing and Keoagile have a hearing impairment and are advocates for people with disability.
Keoagile said there are many who are HIV positive but cannot come out in the open for fear of further discrimination and stigma.
"Very few of us are aware about HIV and have less confusing information. However, illiteracy is the barrier we are facing because most of us do not know how to read sign languages or can lip-read," she said.
Keoagile said at the recent workshop on HIV/AIDS and the deaf, where they were taught on different issues such as ARV, PMTCT, CD4 count among others, it was evident that people were still behind in their awareness. She said although three quarters of the participants tested for HIV, she wondered who would assist them once they got home. She said that communication with people with hearing impairment was a big challenge even to family members.
She said interpretation conducted at the workshop was made in American Sign Language used in textbooks in schools, however it is different from Botswana sign language. She said the message should be clear and that they are people in need of special attention. "Is it not a violation of human rights, if one is tested when they are not ready?" she asked.
Keoagile works on a project of HIV/AIDS, human rights and people with disabilities at BONELA.
Mapharing noted that she had a sick client whom she took to the hospital. "I had to be by her side when waiting for the results, and when they came out, she broke down," she said.
She said that she had to continue to assist her, even going with her for regular check-ups until she was able to accept her situation. "Imagine it was only one client, and it was so burdensome. But where is the privacy and confidentiality?" she asked.
They noted that there was no single board member with a disability championing the cause for the disabled at Botswana Society for Disabled.
Mapharing said one "needs to understand why they should go for an HIV test or how HIV infection is transmitted". She said through Botswana sign language, more people could hear and understand why they needed to test. Mapharing said there is a need of strong campaign and community outreach, education on pregnancy, sexual reproductive health including targeting of parents. She said there was need for people to learn the deaf culture in order to communicate. "Otherwise they (the deaf) will be lost and remain in the dark," she said.
The two called for sufficient interpreters who are able to interpret in Botswana sign language, not volunteers who abandon their duties. "Botswana needs to promote its own sign language through research and consultation," she said.
Mapharing said by next year, she is hopeful of Sign Language Council or even an introduction of the course at the University of Botswana and eventually a dictionary.