Discrimination of Hiv/Aids
1 Discrimination of HIV/AIDS
Discrimination of HIV/AIDS-positive people in medical field and in society is morally wrong In the rural area of Nigeria, an AIDS patient cut his hand and, when he went to the closest hospital to bandage it, the doctors kept transferring him from one outpatient department to another medical ward, then to another one because they did not want to get infected from him. He offered them money, and only after long debates, they took the money from him with tongs (Cao 522). This is just one example out of many of discrimination against HIV-positive people. Today in society, there is a big ethical issue question concerning stigma and discrimination of HIV/AIDS patients and their rights and standing in the community. There are many types of discrimination such as discrimination in health care and in the surrounding community. These acts lead to very harsh and dangerous consequences. Discrimination of HIV/AIDS patients in health care field and in society is morally wrong because such unthoughtful actions of people result in negative consequences: HIV-positive people lose important and fair health care and medical check up; a further spreading of the disease happens; and emotional trauma, like depression, is observed. Discrimination against HIV-positive patients is morally wrong because when medical staff refuses to treat these patients, it results in the first negative consequence such as the loss of health care and regular check up by HIV-positive patients. This first type of stigma occurs due to the lack of information on how the disease spreads. People simply do not know all the facts and use misconceptions to advocate their actions when they act unfairly and do not provide all the medical services to the HIV-positive person, such as not admit the patient, or make them wait
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longer, or put them in a separate room (Cao 522). A
Discrimination of HIV/AIDS-positive people in medical field and in society is morally wrong In the rural area of Nigeria, an AIDS patient cut his hand and, when he went to the closest hospital to bandage it, the doctors kept transferring him from one outpatient department to another medical ward, then to another one because they did not want to get infected from him. He offered them money, and only after long debates, they took the money from him with tongs (Cao 522). This is just one example out of many of discrimination against HIV-positive people. Today in society, there is a big ethical issue question concerning stigma and discrimination of HIV/AIDS patients and their rights and standing in the community. There are many types of discrimination such as discrimination in health care and in the surrounding community. These acts lead to very harsh and dangerous consequences. Discrimination of HIV/AIDS patients in health care field and in society is morally wrong because such unthoughtful actions of people result in negative consequences: HIV-positive people lose important and fair health care and medical check up; a further spreading of the disease happens; and emotional trauma, like depression, is observed. Discrimination against HIV-positive patients is morally wrong because when medical staff refuses to treat these patients, it results in the first negative consequence such as the loss of health care and regular check up by HIV-positive patients. This first type of stigma occurs due to the lack of information on how the disease spreads. People simply do not know all the facts and use misconceptions to advocate their actions when they act unfairly and do not provide all the medical services to the HIV-positive person, such as not admit the patient, or make them wait
2
longer, or put them in a separate room (Cao 522). A
Cited: Cao, Xiaobin, Sheena G. Sullivan, Jie Xu, and Zunyou Wu. “Understanding HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination in a “Blameless” Population.” AIDS Education and Prevention 18 (2006): 518 – 528 for AIDS Victims.” Journal of Counseling and Development 64 (March 1986): 472 – 474. Letamo, Gobopamang. “The Discriminatory Attitudes of Health Workers against People Living with HIV.” Plos Medicine 2 (Aug 2005): 715 – 716