As today is World AIDS Day, I thought I would share this:

About five years ago, two days before starting University, I had my first encounter with AIDS. I was attending a training at my church when this happened. I was most traumatised and afraid... I knew most of the facts to protect me from contracting the deadly disease. But I was still worried that I may get it......

The training took the entire day. And after lunch, AIDS showed its face. A man I was laughing and working with all day announced he has had HIV/AIDS for the last 10 years. Honestly, I would not have guessed it. My initial thoughts were, probably he was joking and trying to get the points of the training across that you can't contract the disease by just touching. But he managed to convince me, that he really has the virus but has been healthy by taking his ARV and getting love and support from his wife and family.

A man with HIV/AIDS with a wife. This was just too much for me. I was only 18, I thought, why the hell was it necessary for me to meet someone like this. And as we think in Jamaica, its better we dont know certain things than be in the know. That was my wish. We were asked to hug this nice, healthy looking handsome man... and you dont have to guess - I WAS MORE THAN HESITANT. Looking back at the encounter I can laugh a myself for being so silly at the time. I wasn't all misinformed but stigma and discrimination was still a big problem for PLWHA.

The man had to grab me and hug me tight, for about three minutes. I appreciate what he did, he was quite mature. The man even laughed at me... Although thats five years ago, stigma and discrimination is still alive in Jamaica, especially for marginalised people. Sex workers are still contracting HIV/AIDS and people still believe that you contract HIV/AIDS if you are a man who have sex with another man.

Much more needs to be done to lessen the numbers of us contracting the disease. The Caribbean has the second highest hiv/aids rate... and Jamaica has the second highest for the region.

Let's begin to do something about it!