AAU 112TH INAUGURAL LECTURE: University Don Advocates End To Stigmatization Against HIV-AIDS Patients

By Esosa Omorogbe

The Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, a professor of Sociology and the 112th Inaugural Lecturer at Ambrose Alli University's 7th in the Bi-monthly inaugural lecture series, Professor Theophilus Agweda, has called on the Federal Government and all other concerned government agencies to initiate policies that will totally eradicate the concept of stigmatization of infected persons and people living with life-threatening diseases.

Professor Agweda, while delivering the lecture entitled "To Be Infected Is Not To Be Stigmatised: An Invitation For Socio-Medical Balancing", said "Stigma can have adverse consequences on people which can inhibit recovery. Such effects as shame, self-rejection and embarrassment can prevent people from seeking medical care when they are sick or have symptoms of infectious disease."

"Stigma can affect the structure around the sick person thereby leading such a person to be exposed to unfavourable circumstances even as it creates dichotomy between being normal and acceptable versus being tainted and undesirable.”

The Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, further opined that "There is need to talk openly about HIV/AIDS and stigma. A framework for collaboration and support from all stakeholders for a multi-sectorial and multi-disciplinary response to HIV/AIDS in Nigeria is needed. We should speak out to correct myths and stereo-types. Public enlightenment programmes should be instituted and encouraged such that should include but not be limited to public forums and community talks, radio, and dissemination of information and communication materials through community liaison officers.”

Professor Theophilus Agweda, further urged Nigerians to "allow those unfortunately infected to breathe and live positively, while the sufferers should know too, that no one else will love them more than themselves. It is not the end of life. We all have the society to live in. Let's show some kindness.”

Declaring the 112th inaugural lecture open, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin, said the lecture could not have come at any other better time than now, stressing that "stigma are a major concern because they can lead to poor treatment of groups of people, impaired mental and physical health of those groups and other negative effects.” Professor Adagbonyin appreciated the “socio-medical balancing” perspective considered by the Inaugural lecturer in dealing with the issue of stigmatisation of infected people.” While noting that he had not read the lecture, his little bit of research had revealed to him that “Socio-medical balancing is an approach that seeks to integrate social and medical perspectives in addressing health and well-being. It involves considering both the social determinants of health and medical interventions to provide comprehensive care. This approach recognizes that health outcomes are influenced by a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors, and it aims to balance these elements in healthcare delivery and policy.”

Professor Adagbonyin further stated that "Individuals who are infected with various forms of diseases are often targets and/or victims of stigmatisation and we find this to be quite common among people with life-threatening diseases like HIV, cancer, Tuberculosis, leukemia, Lassa fever, and, most recently, Covid 19.”

Professor Asomwan Sonnie Adagbonyin then called on government at all levels and citizens to show more love and concern to infected persons so as to make them live a normal live.