Long Island Newsday Examines How HIV-Positive Iraqis Face Stigma, Silence

The Long Island Newsday yesterday examined the stigma and silence faced by HIV-positive people in Iraq. According to Newsday, HIV/AIDS in Iraq is equated with "homosexuality, prostitution and promiscuity," and people living with the disease are "shunned." In an attempt to "keep its AIDS problem quiet," the Saddam Hussein government quarantined AIDS patients and their families until 1991 and upon release gave them about $12 a month in assistance if they promised to attend monthly checkups and counseling, according to Newsday. With the chaos and looting that has followed the recent war, many people living with HIV/AIDS have not been given financial assistance and no longer have access to treatment (Susman, Long Island Newsday, 6/15). The complete article is available online.