Zimbabwe: Stigma Covid-19 – Guilt and Shame will not work

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Features, Health & Society Editor

When Charles Bungu, a 40-year-old banker (not real name) tested positive for Covid-19, he immediately went into self-loathing because he had mild symptoms.

His absence from work after confirming everyone at their branch was a testament to his staff that he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Day in, day out, some of his staff looked at him through Whatsapp calls and messages, while others wanted to know more about his condition, how he felt, if he believes it affected anyone at work, among other issues.

Others wanted to know where he got the disease.

“I answered all the questions with respect,” said Charles. “I didn’t know where I got it and at this stage I had no reason to hide information from anyone.”

When he tested negative and returned to work before the second lockout, the work environment was different and somewhat “hostile”.

“Staff avoided me,” said Charles. “People I used to do that would usually stop even if we were sitting a meter apart in our dining room. Some avoided talking to me and complaining about me using the same toilets as them.

“They treated me like I was still Covid-19 positive. This affected me psychologically.”

After speaking to the human resources department, Charles received professional counseling. His team was also advised.

“Things changed after the consultation, but there are still many uncomfortable people around me,” he said. “Even at home, my wife and children are affected by neighbors.”

What Charles went through in the ocean is what Covid-19 survivors and Covid-19 patient caregivers are, not just in Zimbabwe, but all over the world.

This stigma is a sign of the way society behaves and responds in pandemics and that kind of dates back to the early days of HIV and Aids where people were stuck. .

After considering that community attitudes have changed with knowledge of HIV and how stigma has been dealt with, there seems to be a lot going around in circles when it comes to Covid-19 stigma.

The stigma of Covid-19 is similar to the same script with HIV, but with different lines.

According to the Covid-19 stigma guidelines developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cross Societies, social stigma in co -health text the negative relationship between a person or group of people with certain characteristics and a particular disease.

“In a revolution, this could result in people being identified, stereotyped, discriminated against, discriminated against, and / or lose their status due to a perceived association with disease. , “read the instructions.

“Treatment like this can have a detrimental effect on those with the disease, as well as their carers, family, friends and communities. People who do not have the disease, but who share Other traits with this group, suffering from stigma. “

The Covid-19 revolution has encouraged social stigma and discriminatory behavior against people from certain ethnic backgrounds, as well as anyone thought to have been in contact with the virus.

Responding to a question I asked at the Prevention Vaccine Prevention Vocational Session (HIVR4P) titled: “COVID vaccines and treatments” last Tuesday, U.S.-based Director of National Programs for the Black Institute of AIDS Rob Newells , stigma around Covid-19 was very similar to the HIV infection.

“People want to know how you got it if you tested positive for Covid-19,” he said. “If some are positive, they keep it a secret until they get over it.

“They don’t tell people because it happens about‘ what dangerous activity did you do and took part in, to be caught by Covid? ’You should have known more better. “

Newells said questions that also arise are “whether you were in a room with people who were not wearing masks or whether you went out to restaurants and nightclubs and bars, church services and weddings when did you know you could have stayed at home? “

Newells said he hoped the guilt and embarrassment surrounding how a Covid-19 man was found did not prevent people from getting tested.

“I don’t think this is because people see Covid-19 in a different way than they saw HIV,” he said. “I think most people recognize their own danger.

“However, I think when we make messages, guilt and shame don’t work. We have to meet people where they are, it’s masks, social distance, to limit the amount of people at gatherings, outdoors rather than indoors.

“We’re giving all of this to people, we’re not telling you, you have to get vaccinated or you’re going to get Covid-19. We won’t blame them and shame them because how they got Covid-19 because they came together to see the results of the election together. “

Newells said in the United States, 13 members of his minister’s family made a good test for Covid-19 after gathering to monitor the results of the impending election.

“They didn’t tell anyone for two weeks until after everyone had gotten over it,” he said. “That’s not healthy because you don’t get the support you need. I think the messages need to be less about the guilt and shame and more about meeting people where they are.”

Itai Rusike, executive director of the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH), told the Herald that the Covid-19 health response must prevent stigma and discrimination, including psychological care, ensure safe care and quality, including sexual and reproductive health care.

“Zimbabwe needs to ensure that women and girls have access to gender-based violence prevention and response (GBV) services, including GBV survival services such as temporary shelter, safe housing, financial support,” he said.

“Health workers need to be prioritized both in terms of access to specialist care and economic and social support.”

Rusike said Covid-19 will disproportionately affect women and girls, vulnerable and marginalized people, such as people living in poverty, people with malnutrition, the elderly, people with disabilities, prisoners and people with existing health conditions.

“We need to work to balance this pandemic while maintaining essential health services,” he said. “Lessons can be learned from the responses to TB, HIV and malaria, such as health education on prevention, contact detection, preventing stigma and discrimination, the role of communities, women ‘s groups and civil society, and tackling the challenges of loneliness. “

In addition, Rusike noted that community health workers can be deployed for awareness raising, prevention and early detection.

This can be done, he said, by being involved in developing awareness and understanding about Covid-19 within communities, including the benefits of vaccination.