Children Suffer in Silence - Living with AIDS in Bahrain
By Suad Hamada
Bahrain
A young girl has faced the threat of being expelled from her primary school only because her mother is infected with AIDS.
This secret was neither known to the girl nor the school, but was exposed by a parent who insisted on suspending her to protect other children from infection. Despite the mother’s adamant protestations that her daughter was not infected with the virus, the school persisted until a blood test was performed on the girl. The test revealed what the mother passionately claimed from the beginning - her daughter is HIV negative.
The girl’s story is but one account of the many injustices suffered by youngsters with infected parents and those children who have HIV/AIDS.
Dr Somaya Al-Jowder at one of her many informative lectures in Bahrain. Photograph by Noor Mohammed.
The manager of the National Sexually Transmitted Diseases Program, Dr Somaya Al-Jowder, said that the girl escaped infection when her mother started intensive medication in the early months of her pregnancy. “The school contacted me asking me why I have kept the case of the girl as a secret and my reply was clear - the girl is healthy and according to the law, patient information should remain confidential.”
While the girl was rescued from the grip of physical illness, the emotional scars of an uniformed community will remain forever if social misconceptions about AIDS aren’t eliminated.
Children with AIDS are suffering in silence - they are a minority in a population that still believes that AIDS can be transmitted through daily interactions.
The first case of AIDS discovered among children in Bahrain was in 1986, when a boy contracted the disease after receiving a blood transfusion. He is now 26 and healthy; no signs of the disease have developed.
“His health condition was kept a secret until he turned 18, then I told him that he is a HIV positive patient to prepare himself to be ready for the worst,” Dr Al Jowder remembered.
There are six AIDS cases of children under the age of 15 registered in Bahrain, representing 2% of the country’s total cases (293). Two children with AIDS died in 2003 and 2004. The population of Bahrain at last census was 650,000 people.
“We advise female AIDS patients not to conceive and give them family planning methods, but if they (insist on having) children then we monitor their pregnancies closely and put them (on) medications to save the babies,” she said. “AIDS patients are free people and can continue or stop treatment whenever they want, so if they reject our help then we cannot force them and that is why new cases of AIDS still occur among children.”
When pregnant women with AIDS don’t take their medications, the unborn babies are infected during pregnancy. The lifespan of these children are usually short and their sufferings great.
“New cases of AIDS could be dramatically reduced if the pre-marriage test that is compulsory in Bahrain for inherited diseases, included the HIV test,” she recommended.
Dr Al Jowder explained that many cases of AIDS among couples are discovered through their children. “The complications of AIDS are more severe among youngsters because of their weak immune systems, therefore they fall sick more often and when their doctors suspect AIDS infection, blood tests are carried out for them and later (given) to their parents.”
She said that families are advised to not tell their children about their status because many are too young to understand the ramifications, including being rejected by their communities.
Dr Al Jowder said that although AIDS medications are very expensive and thus unaffordable for some families, the government provides them for free, but to Bahrainis only. “Offering free treatments for locals is appreciated, but there is one girl that cannot be treated under the government services because her father is a Saudi who abandoned her Bahraini mother. The child is sick and her mother cannot afford to provide her with medicine.”
Dr Al Jowder is working with the United Nations to draft legislation that will protect the rights of children, including those with AIDS.
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Comments (8)
good submition
H ighly
I nformative
V ogue
Posted by noor mohamed | May 22, 2007 2:27 AM
Very good Suad. You pointed more than one issue women in Bahrain should keep fighting for.
"AIDS patients are free people and can continue or stop treatment whenever they want, so if they reject our help then we cannot force them and that is why new cases of AIDS still occur among children.">> do you think this is right????
Posted by ِAmira Isa | May 22, 2007 10:51 PM
AIDS patients who are on medication they should know that they should continue the medication all the time they has choice not take medicine if they unwilling to take regulary and they responsible for their choices. When pregnant women with AIDS and she is unaware about her status for HIV infection and she don’t take their medications, the unborn babies are 50% chance to be infected during pregnancy.
For this reason we success in getting royal law including regular for HIV testing And Hepatitis B and for Syphilis in premarital counselling for reducing new cases of HIV infection of children.
'Dr Al Jowder said that although AIDS medications are very expensive, the government provides them for free, but to Bahrainis only. “Offering free treatments for locals is appreciated, but there is one girl that cannot be treated under the government services because her father is a Saudi who abandoned her Bahraini mother. The child is sick and her mother cannot afford to provide her with medicine.”' - And the national AIDS committee in process action to help this child.
I am working to draft legislation that will protect the rights of children, and all patient living with HIV/ AIDS to submitted to the parliament for approval as recommendation of United Nation meeting .
Posted by Dr.Somaya Al-Jowder | May 23, 2007 8:11 AM
Hi Amira
It isn’t a matter of right or wrong, but according to Bahrain’s constitution people cannot be forced to do things they don’t want to do and that promote healthy society, therefore the government couldn’t force pregnant Aids patients to receive treatment as at the end of the day such practice would attract more restrictions to the freedom of the public. In my opinion, no single mother with Aids would reject free treatment that would save their babies lives. I think that I support not forcing pregnant women with Aids or anybody to do things against their wishes.
Posted by Suad Hamada | May 23, 2007 10:36 AM
An excellent article which highlights how people are still so unaware of how Aids is spread and this in fact, can have devastating consequences as in this case.
Despite so much awareness being spread on this subject, until people do not accept and change their mindset, their approach to those who have Aids will remain unchanged.
It really is a sorry state of affairs, but one can only hope that with articles such as these, that highlights the lack of understanding, people will eventually open their eyes to reality and give those who are diagnosed with Aids,the opportunity to live with dignity amidst society.
Posted by Meena Menezes | May 25, 2007 5:16 PM
Twenty plus years into an epidemic and people have no knowldge how HIV transmission occurs? This is really frightening. We are now in the treatment stage of the pandemic and some people still dont know how transmission occurs. I am disappointed. What are the non governmental organisations in this country doing?
I am also really shocked that the school authorities could not protect this young girl who faced stigma and discrimination because her mother was openly living positive with HIV and wanted the girl pulled out because they though she was HIV positive. Organisations in this country have a lot of work to do in raising HIV and Aids awareness and HIV and Aids activists must lobby government for an HIV and Aids policy and laws that protect people living with HIV and Aids and those who are related to them.
Posted by Bertha Shoko | May 26, 2007 4:44 AM
A well researched piece!Its true that things have changed in the past in the Gulf, but the topic is still taboo.It is an open secret which everybody wants to hide. There are a dearth of qualified personnel to speak on the subject of AIDS in Bahrain. The battle of the Cheap AIDS drug should also end and government of respective countries should look into this matter seriously.The first and foremost thing is that the patients should know their rights which they are sadly not aware off. Speaking up on the issue will create more impact than drafting laws.
Law makers are busy forming investigative committees rather than drafting laws that benefit the patients.
Posted by Sandy | May 31, 2007 3:27 PM
Dear Dr. Somaya Al Jowdar,
My name is Sarah and I am a 19 year old Physiotherapy student in Bahrain. I have a huge interest in HIV/AIDS and would really like to learn more about it, I would aslo like to know how to spread awareness and take action in my local community. I came across this weblog and was interested in reading the discussions.
My question remains, how can I be part of a body that spreads awareness around HIV/AIDS?
Best Wishes
Sarah Yousif
Posted by Sarah Yousif Abdul Karim | September 5, 2007 2:19 PM