When X*, a middle-aged HIV patient at Hong Kong’s Princess Margaret Hospital, plucked up enough courage to tell his mother about his condition, he hoped to find comfort and support. Instead, his disclosure backfired.
His mother knew little about HIV except, mistakenly, that it was highly infectious. She made X isolate at home, out of fear of catching the virus herself. He was no longer allowed to eat or sleep in the same room as others, while his dishes, cutlery, and laundry were all handled separately.
The stigma his mother foisted on him inevitably dealt a blow to the pair’s relationship and X’s mental health.
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Hong Kong has dealt with HIV for nearly four decades, but discrimination and misconceptions remain.
Dr Owen Tsang Tak-yin is one of the senior health professionals calling for greater public awareness about concepts such as “U=U”, which explains the virus is untransmissible when undetectable.
“As long as HIV-positive patients achieve an undetectable viral load by taking medication, the virus is no longer transmittable,” said Tsang, who is the medical director of the Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre.
Marking World Aids Day on December 1, Tsang and a multidisciplinary team of experts at Princess Margaret Hospital’s HIV clinic have called for an end to the stigmatisation of positive patients in Hong Kong.
Learning about X’s situation, the specialist nurse at the clinic encouraged him to bring his mother along for follow-up consultations. In those sessions, the nurse cleared up misunderstandings and explained how to control infections in the household.
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Through the support and guidance offered, the relationship between X and his mother has vastly improved and he no longer isolates at home. His mother has even started accompanying him to his regular consultations.
X is among 1,200 HIV patients treated at the clinic, where Tsang and other experts strive to strengthen their physical and psychological well-being.
“Many HIV patients are just like you and me. They are leading a perfectly normal life and serving a lot of people in the community. But many still suffer from discrimination and misunderstandings which discourage them from opening up to others,” Tsang said.
As many as 30 per cent of the clinic’s HIV patients show signs of depression and anxiety, which requires psychological intervention, according to Dr Barry Tam.
“Self-stigma is very common among them. Some will shut themselves away just to avoid infecting their friends and family,” said Tam, who is a clinical psychologist at the hospital.
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Ending discrimination against HIV patients is one of the focuses laid out in a five-year strategy released on Tuesday by the Hong Kong Advisory Council on Aids.
Hong Kong has recorded 307 new HIV infections as of September this year, of which 53 involved a diagnosis of Aids. The number of newly logged HIV infections has been declining steadily over the past six years, from 725 in 2015 to 447 in 2021 – a 38 per cent drop which roughly aligns with the global trend.
A total of 11,539 HIV infections have been detected since the city identified its first case in 1984. Among them, about 7,000 are being treated in the public healthcare system.
Tsang attributed the decline to the availability of effective and convenient drug regimen, especially the highly active antiretroviral therapy, also known as the “cocktail” treatment. A new, injectable treatment given bimonthly has also increased accessibility for patients.
The prevalence of HIV screening tests have helped facilitate early detection and treatment, which lower the chances of transmission.
Tsang said he expected new infections in Hong Kong to continue their decline over time. But demand for treatments, he said, would still gradually increase as the city’s HIV patients were mostly young adults who were expected to live longer with the help of effective drugs.
“We hope Hong Kong can enter an ‘Aids-free’ era by achieving zero new infections one day. Then our historical task is completed,” Tsang said.
*The name of the patient is undisclosed for confidentiality
More from South China Morning Post:
- Hong Kong should strive to end Aids by 2030, reduce number of HIV infections to near zero, government advisers say
- 5 Hong Kong sex workers contract HIV in past 10 months, concerned health officials investigate if clients have been infected too
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