In the afternoon we visit Justa Catalina Suazo Dolmo in her home. A very loveable character, she used to be chair of the CCM of Honduras. She has four children (26, 21,18 and 12) Now runs an HIV support group in Trujillo, and is an HIV activist.

It was her own diagnosis in 2002 (during pregnancy with 4th child) that motivated her to start doing something for others living with HIV in Honduras. She found there were many needs:

“It was very hard. There was a lack of information, there was discrimination”
They told Justa at the time “Poor thing, you’re going to die.” Never received any information. Not until the GF project started in 2006, that’s when things started to get better.

The government didn’t even do CD4 counts, not until 2004.

Justa started treatment in 2010. She has seen so much stigma among her friends. In some cases they would not get out of bed, or even die.

Lack of information is the one thing that she finds most harmful for people living with HIV. “Inform yourself”, is her best advice to peers. “Know where to get treatment. Ask questions.” For example, people used to believe that sharing a drinking glass could cause HIV.

Medication had a huge impact on the HIV community . “The Global Fund gave us an opportunity to live.” Justa thanks the Global Fund for the pressure it put on the government of Honduras to consider health a priority in the country. Previously they would rather spend money on the military.

Just believe there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of prevention, especially in the prevention of risky behaviour. But there is little money. Job opportunities for people living with HIV need to be improved, as they typically don’t get hired. It’s not cost-effective for companies to hire a PLWHIV, they are not highly trained or educated. Good nutrition is needed to support the treatment. Adherence to treatment is sometimes a problem as well. Last years 14 people died because they abandoned treatment. “We want to fall in love with the treatment.”

Her position as chair of CCM was very stressful. She got sick and was forced to stop. But she’s by no means sitting around: She meets regularly with her HIV support group, holds talks about HIV, educates in schools, and is in the process of setting up programs for teenage mothers.