Adam – ‘It took me five years to start treatment’
Adam shares his positive experience of accessing HIV healthcare services in Eswatini.
It took Adam five years to accept his HIV-positive status and decide to start treatment. When he went to the hospital his health condition was critical, and he was also diagnosed with TB. Adam had a positive experience with the healthcare services, and he feels extremely grateful for the care he received. This experience motivated him to help other people living with HIV, like his brother:
I was able to help my brother in adhering to his treatment. I told him: ‘I am taking medication, look at how I am. My life is normal and on track. You can do it’.
Pinty, the interviewer, acknowledges how inspiring it is to hear such an encouraging story from someone accessing HIV services in a conservative country like Eswatini.
About the author
This interview was conducted by Pinty Dludlu, a citizen journalist from Eswatini.
Video edits by Julia Dotras.
Stories for Change
‘Stories for Change’ is a series of real-life stories of stigma and discrimination, developed in collaboration with citizen journalists from Malawi, Zambia and Eswatini.
Find more stories here.