DECEMBER 4 — So, another year, another World AIDS Day has passed.

And with that, came the flurry of information besides various ways of showing off the red ribbon that has come to symbolise the universal symbol of awareness and support for those living with HIV.

Various reports on progress that had been made were given out.

The global scenario of the pandemic. More importantly, the clarion call that more need to be done.

In the 28 years since Malaysia saw its first case, the numbers have started to decline in the past few years, partly to efforts in introducing the harm reduction programme that brought down the numbers among injecting drug users (IDUs). 

It is, however, not the same case when it comes to sexual transmission.

Yet another fact that has been stated time and again for the past few years. 

But those are mere numbers. 

What of the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in our society who are trying, sometimes unsuccessfully, to cope with the disease while getting on with the regular mill called life?

What of the dissemination of information on the disease and prevention on the other days of the year?

In the course of reporting on the disease, I have met some of the most courageous people, who have chosen not to let the disease control their destiny. 

And boy, are they strong and inspiring. 

There’s Kiren Kaur, who bravely came out with a group of people about her status when a religious cleric said PLHIV should be put on an island some years ago. 

There’s Michael Chow of the Faith Helping Centre with his toothy grin, who relentlessly fights to make ends meet just so he can provide shelter and help to other people diagnosed positive. 

He spent the prize money that he got from the Malaysian AIDS Foundation Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Award in 2002 to buy essential items like milk powder for his clients.

And there’s Andrew Tan, who doles out information on HIV/AIDS in manageable doses so other diagnosed people can understand things better.

It was to Tan that I brought up this question of while all and good that World AIDS Day gives chance for a disease that’s often confined to hushed tones because of the stigma to be talked about, what of the other days of the year? 

“It’s World AIDS Day every day. The virus doesn’t stop,” says Tan, who is also a Kuala Lumpur AIDS Support Services volunteer. 

“We shouldn’t stop talking about it.”

While December 1 was a good thing because of the intensity (the same for International AIDS Memorial Day) that led a critical mass to think about the issue and probably get tested or seek more information for risk factors, Tan says the jury was still out on stigma and discrimination. 

“It hasn’t made a dent. People are still talking about HIV in terms of a moral perspective rather than a health perspective,” he says.

The situation, as has been said time and again, leads to those vulnerable to seek the safe haven of not doing anything while continuing to put themselves at risk. 

Which brings us to the point of shouldn’t the words safe sex, condoms and the like, be said aloud for the sake of preventing infections and risky behaviour? 

Statistics between January and June showed 25.1 per cent of new infections are under the non-heterosexual category such as bisexuals, men who have sex with men and transgenders.

The risk of transmission from IDUs is 18.97 per cent. 

Heterosexual transmission comes in with 50.1 per cent.

There are 86,606 people living with HIV/AIDS in Malaysia.

For which, Tan also staunchly believes that the first step is to seek help. 

After all, it only took him eight years before getting help and support to live with HIV/AIDS. 

“It was a long time. But it’s about taking baby steps,” he says.

“Some people take a shorter time, some longer. I had someone call me up for help in less than a week.

“But that is the first step. Baby steps.”

Being PLHIV for the past 21 years, Tan has taken many baby steps of his own and put the bricks in building himself up. 

He is also involved in conducting treatment literacy workshops locally and abroad, where once again he breaks down the disease, treatment and everything else in between into layman’s terms to PLHIV. 

Admittedly, he is one of the luckier ones who has had family backing and a partner of 29 years staunchly standing by him. 

Being among those to read his speech before he presented it at an international conference last year, my jaw dropped and I blurted out to Tan with my slitty eyes as wide open as it could go. 

“Are you sure you want to do this? It’s, well, crazy.”

To which he grinned and said he was ready. 

And later that night, he went to the podium and preceded the Health Minister with a jaw-dropping and inspiring speech that he ended very poignantly with a tribute to Reuben. 

Looking at him onstage, I thought to myself, everyone should be so lucky to have a relationship as theirs.

One that has stood the tests of time and tribulation. 

Ultimately, while all is good with remembering the scourge on World AIDS Day, perhaps it is also about all of us taking baby steps that will eventually get us, as a country, to zero. All year round. 

Zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and most importantly zero discrimination.

* Audrey Edwards is news editor at Malay Mail. She can be reached at audrey@mmail.com.my.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.