Targeting the “Be free”, “90-90-90” – Need to Address Claims of “Curing” or “Delivering” HIV by Traditional Healers and Religious Prophets

Sub-Saharan Africa has the most serious HIV and AIDS epidemic in the world. In 2015, an estimated 25.6 million people were living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for two-thirds of the global total of new HIV infections [1]. It has been documented that HIV can be suppressed by combination of antiretroviral therapy (ART) consisting of three or more antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. ART does not cure HIV infection but controls viral replication within a person's body and allows an individual's immune system to strengthen and regain the capacity to fight off infections [1]. Despite this, nurses' stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) has been reported to hinder effective ART provision. Literature on stigma emphasizes cognitive, individual and interpersonal factors that are relevant to the understanding of the stigmatization process among health care professionals (such as health professional's accuracy in knowledge of the workings of the virus, effectiveness of emotional management and degree of proximity to the stigmatized group). Besides this, a study of the socio-cultural factors underlying stigma has shown religion as a social phenomenon that may foster it [2]. Sub-Saharan Africa embraces a rich diversity of indigenous and imported religious traditions. Since moral behavioral proscriptions often trace their sources to religious teachings, religion and a strong adherence to religious principles have been believed to protect against HIV/AIDS transmission in Africa [3]. In Tanzania for example, a study showed that shame-related HIV stigma was strongly associated with religious beliefs such as the belief that PLWHA have not followed the word of God. The study showed that more than 80% of PLWHA believe prayer could cure HIV [4]. Unfortunately, the plight of PLWHA in Africa amidst religious beliefs is not only being ignored by the pharmaceutical or ART industry but by the HIV advocacy community as well. This has left PLWHA in Africa to continuously shuttle between hospital, traditional healing places and the church in search for a quick cure to HIV as seen in the following cases observed in Cameroon.