For almost 13 years Maimouna only knew that her parents died of a “blood disease” when she was young.
Three months ago she learned that disease was HIV/AIDS – and she is infected too, writes IRINnews.
Maimouna’s grandmother, Oumou, held off letting doctors tell her for so long because she was afraid how her adopted daughter would be treated if more people knew.
In Mali, HIV/AIDS infections hover around 1.7 percent, low by African standards, but ignorance about the disease and stigmatisation (fordomme, red.) of people infected with it run extremely high, according to health workers.
The medical logic of telling children the truth is confirmed by Maimouna, who says she has been much more serious about taking her syrup anti-retroviral medicine since she found out what it is for.
