Somali Medical Association
Her name was Maana.
She lived in Africa.
She was beautiful and married.
She had 2 children:
Shoobto was one year old.
Adeey was five.
Her husband was the only bread winner.
He was a truck driver.
He travelled across the neighboring countries.
Shoobto had trouble thriving.
She had trouble enjoying good health since birth.
Maana was devoted to her children.
She loved her husband.
One day Maaana started feeling weak.
She started progressively loosing weight.
She started having loose bowel movement.
She started developing skin rash.
Her health condition slowly started detoriating.
A virulent virus came in this household.
Her husband brought this virus into his own home.
He transmitted this virus to Maana.
He caused her to be very sick.
A local religious leader was brought in for help
He stated that Maana was invaded by "Wadaabo"
an evil spirit.
She needed a ceremony to appease this evil spirit.
So it was done. However Maana never recovered from her ailment.
And one day she felt short of breath.
She went into coma and expired.
Doctors knew that she had full blown AIDS
They were unable to help her.
Medicine was unavailable to treat her condition.
Shoobto was then checked.
She tested positive for HIV.
The virus penetrated her body before she was born.
Mana was never checked for HIV during pregnancy.
Prenatal care is not for everyone in Africa.
And therefore prevention of pre natal transmission of HIV never happened in her case.
Now Shoobto's future lies in the hands, consciousness and generosity of the world community.
There are thousands of similiar stories in Africa.
Unfortunately AIDS is still perceived by many communities in Africa as a curse from God for being promiscuous.
Shoobto is only 2 years old. She does not know what sex is. Her HIV status was a not a choice she had made.
In conclusion education is the sole answer to the prevedntion of HIV transmission.
Ignorance and denial of a reality are serious obstacles to prevention of AIDS.
AIDS is a challange to the world.
AIDS is a fianancial burden to the world.
AIDS unfortunately is wiping the population of Africa.
Children are unofrtunately the most vulnerable.
Their voices and agonies are not heard.
AIDS Awarenes month of Dec 2007
by Dr Mohamed Osman
Physician & Artist
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