Manufahi, 27 November 2025 (Média Democracia) — The National Institute for Combating HIV/AIDS (INCSIDA), in collaboration with the local authorities of Manufahi Municipality, continues delivering HIV/AIDS awareness sessions to the community of Hola-Rua Village in Same. The activity was carried out at the Hola-Rua Village Headquarters this Wednesday.
The President of INCSIDA, Daniel Marçal, stated that today’s session is the third round of community sensitization on HIV/AIDS. The objective is to increase the community’s knowledge and improve prevention efforts.
“One of the issues is confidentiality, which arises because our communities still do not have adequate knowledge. This is why, until today, the State does not authorize the disclosure of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. In fact, this information must not be made public because in other countries people are brave enough to identify themselves as living with HIV, ensuring it does not spread to others,” said INCSIDA President Daniel Marçal.
He added that Timor-Leste will continue maintaining confidentiality because some communities still hold negative perceptions toward people living with HIV, leading to discrimination and judgment.
“We continue to make strong efforts to raise awareness across communities in Timor-Leste. When communities are well informed, we may later disclose how many people in a given villages are living with HIV/AIDS, so the community can give proper attention, prevent further transmission, and ensure the affected individuals receive treatment at health posts to suppress the virus,” he explained.
The President emphasized his concern that some people living with HIV continue to engage in unprotected sexual activities, causing the number of HIV/AIDS cases in Timor-Leste to keep rising. Some individuals stop taking medication and still engage in risky behavior, which increases transmission. Therefore, those diagnosed with HIV should be informed so they can control their behavior and avoid spreading the virus to others.
He further explained that stigma and discrimination reflect harmful attitudes and actions toward people living with HIV. These issues prevent individuals from openly sharing their status, so confidentiality remains essential. However, ongoing awareness efforts aim to increase public knowledge so that one day communities may feel safe to speak openly and access treatment, ultimately helping reduce HIV/AIDS in the country.
Report: Nelfiano
Photo: Nelfiano