| More than two million AIDS related deaths reported | | | | dated some, went out a lot and you could hear the |
| globally in 2008 - two million children under the age of | | | | walls echo as she said her morning and evening |
| 15 now live with HIV. New figures released by the | | | | prayers; really I enjoyed her songs, it reminded me |
| World Health Organization and UNAIDS estimate the | | | | of the Swahili people that I hear on TV. |
| number of new HIV infections have declined each | | | | Neighbours trooped in and out of her apartment, |
| year by about 17% from 2001 to 2008, but for | | | | Junior, the 'great man' had just passed-on this |
| every five people infected, only two start treatment. | | | | morning, it was early 2006. Again the advice came to |
| Today, December 1st, 2009 marks the 20th World | | | | Tonia, "I think Junior died of the disease, go for a |
| AIDS Day | | | | test" "isn't it obvious that I don't have it" Tonia |
| Education and care could help reduce the spread of | | | | responded. |
| AIDS in Africa. Do you think the jingles and | | | | 2009, Tonia our once robust and humorous lady has |
| awareness programmes are enough to educate the | | | | lost a whole lot of weight, she has a lot of terribly |
| people on AIDS? | | | | looking blisters on her skin, she doesn't come out |
| This is a story of a young woman. Tonia, this is what | | | | anymore. But I caught a glance of her. |
| we fondly call her, danced with joy into the reception | | | | "good evening" I greeted, she came out to pick an |
| hall as the hall stood rendering a thunderous applaud | | | | item and was about to rush back inside as I noticed |
| to this beautiful and newly wedded couple, it was the | | | | but the greeting brought her back and you could see |
| year 2000. | | | | it lifted up her spirit as she answered "good evening" |
| Late 2000, there was another gathering, it was | | | | So was Tonia faith and that of many suffering from |
| Tonia's baby boy, Junior. Once more it was a day of | | | | this instant killer. |
| joy as we gathered at the child's naming ceremony; | | | | For Tonia, immediately it became noticiable, she |
| he was a handsome child, smiled as if he knew why | | | | became a 'never to go near' individual, her once |
| we were gathered. He definitely would be a great | | | | friends stopped coming around her, she withdrew to |
| man as his grandmother called him Odogwu. | | | | the confinement of her mother's house "people who |
| One morning in 2002, they heard a voice, quite low | | | | use to speak to me no longer do" she said to me as |
| but it was obvious that it was an adult sobbing, this | | | | we sat outside one evening, she went on to say |
| was coming from Tonia's apartment and after | | | | "those who never use to speak to me now do, but |
| sometime it died down. Days past and Tonia's | | | | those who use to be my friends now avoid me with |
| husband was nowhere to be seen. It was from our | | | | so much disdain at the sight of me". |
| 'nose-poking' neighbour that we learnt that Tonia's | | | | After our brief encounter that evening, she went |
| husband was admitted into the General hospital, he | | | | back to her apartment, all eyes were on her. |
| was very ill. Same year, he passed-on and the news | | | | "Make she no sitdown here again" the illiterate |
| from our 'nose-poking' neighbour was that the | | | | security man said "the breeze fit carry the disease |
| government discovered he was infected by the virus | | | | and I go breath am, I never wan die" he explained. I |
| and was detained at the hospital to avoid the spread | | | | starred at him, mouth wide-opened "me nko" I asked. |
| of the virus. Our 'nose-poking' neighbour also 'said | | | | I never imagined that people were stilled that |
| that' Tonia avoided to hospital, scared of being | | | | ignorant on how to and how not to contact the |
| diagnose of the same ailment. | | | | virus, it was a pity that someone in a modern |
| Early 2003, Tonia was back to her widowed mother's | | | | environment; part of town in Lagos could still speak |
| house, just two streets away from where she used | | | | about the disease in such ignorance. |
| to stay with her only son Junior. Junior, born in late | | | | Makes me wonder, are the radio jingles and all the |
| 2000, was a cute piece to admire like every child of | | | | awareness programme really effective? My saying |
| that age, the only problem was that he looked rather | | | | hello to Tonia transformed her mood and she decided |
| malnourished, but I see him with an older child about | | | | to go for her antiretroviral drugs, which she has |
| everyday crossing the street to purchase his lunch at | | | | continued till date. |
| 'iya ibadan's' food shed. | | | | The public needs more aware and through our |
| According to some others who Tonia confided on | | | | individual care we could make a difference, we could |
| the situation behind her husband's death, they | | | | join, individually to educate and show love to those in |
| advised Tonia to go for a test to be sure that she | | | | our midst living with HIV. |
| wasn't infected, but Tonia ignored probably scared of | | | | Today, the number of HIV infected people |
| the result. | | | | undergoing treatment has increased due to the |
| 2004-2005, Tonia had gained a lot of flesh and | | | | support of the government, NGOs and global health |
| looked well, she was fully recovered from the effect | | | | agencies. Individually, you and I can make a |
| of her husband's sudden illness and death, and she | | | | difference, we could fight this, begin with you, go for |
| decided to move on. Within this year, she met men, | | | | a test, know your HIV status and support others |
| who could not resist her looks and humour, she | | | | living with HIV, just a smile could save a soul. |