Nkululeko Nxesi, who is living with HIV spoke to BTS about the epidemic and his expectations for AIDS2000. Many of the people who do realise the epidemic is happening feel that it is somehow limited to people who are 'misbehaving' in some way.
Judgemental reactions are still rife.
Simply holding the Conference here in South Africa will help a lot. Nxesi said was important too for people to come from other parts of the world to see the realities of the epidemic first hand. This was important for the silence to be broken around discrimination and human rights. People will see for themselves the conditions that people living with HIV must endure within this country and this society. Being with them helps us to feel comfortable.