Mental health care of vulnerable individuals affected by HIV needs to be recognised and prioritised by faith communities, affirm experts from across Asia
Panel Discussion on ‘Addressing Vulnerabilities: Tourism, Human Trafficking, and Migration’
From left to right: moderator Kuki Rokhum (India),Mohd Nasir bin Mohd Alizaman (Malaysia), Aldrin Adjawie Ng (Philippines), Seum Sophal (Cambodia)
Phnom Penh, Cambodia: A recurring theme at the Asia Regional Interfaith Conference on ‘Reversing the HIV Epidemic in Asia: Faith-Based Engagements’, organised by the CCA and WCC in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was the mental health care of vulnerable individuals affected by HIV.
The third day of the regional interfaith conference featured panel discussions addressing several pressing issues related to mental health care within various faith communities across Asia.
A panel of medical experts addressed the gathering, emphasising the need for faith communities to recognise mental health care as a priority concern.
In a specially dedicated session on ‘Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges: Mental Health Perspectives’, panellists analysed mental health issues and the challenges faith communities face in addressing the mental health needs of those affected by HIV.
Dr Zahed Mohammed Masud, Director of AITAM Welfare and Community Medicine for Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS, shared experiences of people living with HIV in his home country, Bangladesh, highlighting the wide spectrum of mental health challenges they face.
Dr Masud highlighted the significant impact of HIV on mental health, including cognitive impairments and emotional challenges like shame, isolation, and fear, which often deter individuals from seeking testing and treatment. He also noted that mental health issues affect not only those living with HIV but also caregivers, close family members, healthcare staff, key at-risk populations, and community-based HIV counsellors.
“Effective counselling requires healthcare providers with strong communication, counselling, and socio-political awareness skills. Training community counsellors, volunteers, and faith-based leaders in communication, counselling, and culturally sensitive practices is essential for creating meaningful change”, stated Dr Masud.
Dr R. L. Sanghluna, Director of Synod Hospital in Mizoram and a member of the Presbyterian Church in India, highlighted the high prevalence of HIV in Mizoram, compounded by substance abuse, making it a significant public health challenge.
He emphasised that Christian care should reflect unconditional love and compassion, urging churches to lead in supporting and empowering those affected with HIV and AIDS.
Dr Sanghluna said, “Like Jesus, we are called to heal without judgment, always being available to those in need. We need to emulate Christ, not to condemn, but to redeem, offering unconditional, non-judgmental care, especially in this urgent time of need”.
Rev. Dr Nezer A. Soriano, a pastor and medical doctor working on preventive and community health in the Philippines, highlighted critical gaps in mental health care in the country, particularly in rural areas, where access to healthcare and mental health professionals is limited. He also pointed out the high cost of psychiatric care and the cultural stigma surrounding mental health, which hinders open discussion.
Dr Soriano stressed that bridging mental health care gaps involves promoting self-care, improving access to services, especially in rural areas, and seeking expert help when necessary. He also underscored the role of churches in reducing stigma by fostering acceptance through prayer and open dialogue.
Intersection of HIV with Tourism, Human Trafficking and Migration
The panel discussion on ‘Addressing Vulnerabilities: Tourism, Human Trafficking, and Migration’ explored how the intersection of HIV with other factors amplifies the vulnerabilities faced by affected individuals.
Mohd Nasir bin Mohd Alizaman, a health worker and human rights activist from Malaysia, shared the harsh realities faced by stateless and undocumented people living with HIV in Sabah, Malaysia.
He explored how the intersectionality of being stateless, living with HIV, and not belonging to the majority religion results in multiple layers of marginalisation.
Mr Alizaman called for the implementation of the PLHIV Act, gender recognition, the adoption of SOGIESC policies, the amendment of citizenship rights, and enhanced protection for human rights defenders and activists, to uphold the dignity and rights of stateless people living with HIV.
Seum Sophal, a long-term HIV and AIDS activist in Cambodia, examined the realities and challenges faced by those living with HIV from a legal perspective. He highlighted that the lack of legal knowledge related to human rights, stigma and discrimination, low capacity to advocate for human rights, resource constraints, and cultural and social barriers continue to hinder access to safe and healthy living. These persistent obstacles prevent individuals, particularly those affected by HIV, from enjoying their rights and achieving optimal health outcomes.
Mr Sophal added that overcoming these challenges requires more training on rights, empowering communities, and building capacity. He also emphasised the importance of fostering collaboration and coordination, as well as ensuring fully funded initiatives for meaningful engagement, as crucial steps in addressing these barriers.
Aldrin Adjawie Ng, a trained HIV counsellor from the Philippines, expanded on the sexual exploitation of children, providing both local and international statistics.
Mr Aldrin Ng detailed the enduring impacts of sexual exploitation on children, including physical harm, emotional and psychological consequences, behavioural and cognitive effects, social and relational challenges, long-term mental health problems, impacts on family and community, barriers to recovery, and adverse effects on education and future prospects.
Gender Justice and Asian Realities
The final panel discussion of the three-day conference, ‘Addressing Vulnerabilities: Gender Justice and Asian Realities’, featured speakers from India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Ajib Abdul Jabar from YIFoS Indonesia, in his presentation on ‘Stories of Change: Health and Pride in Medan’, highlighted the challenges in Medan, a city in the North Sumatra region in Indonesia, where people face challenges due to stigma and discrimination against PLHIV and the diverse SOGIESC community.
Mr Jabar noted that fears of rejection and discrimination, coupled with limited access to inclusive healthcare and minimal policy attention, hinder progress. He stressed the importance of empowering youth organisations, eliminating discriminatory policies, and improving HIV services to enhance the health of young people, thereby improving overall regional well-being.
Prof. Justin Francis Bionat from the University of San Agustin in the Philippines highlighted, “Sexual education needs to be age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, ethical, and moral. While it may be challenging in faith communities to impart sex education, it can be done in a way that respects legal and moral boundaries”.
Prof. Bionat also urged faith and religious groups to embrace the evolving changes in sexual health programming. He warned against unnecessary classifications of people, such as dividing them into categories like healthy and sick, clean and drug user, straight or gay, risky and non-risky, or in religious terms, sinful and divine. He argued that these binaries and hierarchies create division and hinder progress, making it difficult to achieve goals.
Dr Among Jamir, representing the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India, emphasised, “Human beings are invariably embodied beings, and it is through the body that the divine gift of sexuality is experienced and expressed, regardless of gender or orientation”.
Dr Jamir acknowledged the vulnerabilities present in society, such as poverty, HIV and AIDS, human rights violations, war, and discrimination, which faith communities must address to remain relevant. He also highlighted the prevalence of homophobia within religious institutions, where sanctuaries that should offer comfort often foster hatred and prejudice, denying sexual minorities their basic human rights.
Addressing these challenges, Dr Jamir pointed out that many Asian societies struggle with gender and sexual diversity due to cultural, religious, and social expectations. Faith communities, deeply connected to cultural identities, must respond with compassion and understanding.
He urged them to advocate for justice and create safe spaces for mental health support, healing, and acceptance. By drawing on their traditions of love, compassion, and respect, faith-based initiatives can foster inclusivity and address these critical issues.
The panel discussions underscored the vital role of faith communities in addressing the intersection of HIV, mental health, and human rights. By fostering inclusivity and compassion, faith communities can contribute significantly to reducing stigma and supporting affected individuals.
The interfaith conference held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 14 to 16 November 2024 was attended by more than 80 participants from across Asia.
