The employees of the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) underwent a training session on the basics of Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV) in celebration of Valentine’s Day. The objective of the capacity-building session was to give the employees a broader view of HIV, the realities of it in society, and how to deal with persons living with the condition.

Life coaches from the LoveYourself Incorporated served as resource persons for the said activity. They discussed the common myths and misconceptions of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and HIV to help destigmatize the condition. They also explained the basics of the virus, how it is transmitted and what are the important steps to take when one is diagnosed with the condition. Different treatments and ways to manage HIV both medically and psychologically so the persons living with HIV can live like normal persons in society were also fully explained.

Also included in the discussion were the realities of the stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV worldwide. They defined stigma, as negative beliefs about people with HIV, that it is also the prejudice that comes with labeling an individual as part of a group

LoveYourself Inc (for the Youth & LGBT-MSM) is a community of volunteers that aim to reach out to others to propagate ideas, attitudes, and practices that encourage loving oneself as a way to multiply joy and awareness.

 

 

D. Lee – REU CAR