Positive living takes center stage for world AIDS day
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hurriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 02, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - Istanbul’s public took to the streets around Taksim Square yesterday to raise awareness for World AIDS day.
With the slogan "HIV positive? What difference does it make?" the aim of the demonstration, organized by the Positive Living Foundation, was two-fold.
The first was to alert people to the importance of HIV testing to prevent the further spread of the virus. The second was to raise awareness for the acceptance and support of HIV positive people in society.
Statistics collected by the Turkish Medical Unit, or GFK, have shown 59 percent of people in Turkish society do not know what HIV/AIDS is and 79 percent are unaware that HIV testing exists.
"Society does not take responsibility because it is assumed by many that only a certain ’type’ of person can contract the virus," said academic Dr. Deniz Gökengin, speaking at a press conference in Istanbul yesterday.
In today’s society everyone, including our mothers, friends and doctors, is susceptible to catching the AIDS virus, said Gökengin. He said someone who was shunned by society today for being positive could be lying next to any of us in hospital tomorrow.
People are afraid of HIV because they do not know the facts and assume that once the virus is contracted it will result in death, Gökengin said. Everyday new methods of treatment are found and people who are HIV positive are able to live normal lives. They become mothers, fathers, employers and employees, Gökengin added.
Murat Eren, 28, an engineer and a participant at the demonstration said, "Many people presume HIV can be caught just by socially interacting with a person who is positive. People do not realize that anyone can catch it."
Gökengin called on everyone to marcharound Taksim Square on World AIDS day.
The first was to alert people to the importance of HIV testing to prevent the further spread of the virus. The second was to raise awareness for the acceptance and support of HIV positive people in society.
Statistics collected by the Turkish Medical Unit, or GFK, have shown 59 percent of people in Turkish society do not know what HIV/AIDS is and 79 percent are unaware that HIV testing exists.
"Society does not take responsibility because it is assumed by many that only a certain ’type’ of person can contract the virus," said academic Dr. Deniz Gökengin, speaking at a press conference in Istanbul yesterday.
In today’s society everyone, including our mothers, friends and doctors, is susceptible to catching the AIDS virus, said Gökengin. He said someone who was shunned by society today for being positive could be lying next to any of us in hospital tomorrow.
People are afraid of HIV because they do not know the facts and assume that once the virus is contracted it will result in death, Gökengin said. Everyday new methods of treatment are found and people who are HIV positive are able to live normal lives. They become mothers, fathers, employers and employees, Gökengin added.
Murat Eren, 28, an engineer and a participant at the demonstration said, "Many people presume HIV can be caught just by socially interacting with a person who is positive. People do not realize that anyone can catch it."
Gökengin called on everyone to marcharound Taksim Square on World AIDS day.