World Aids Day: HIV campaigners call for better training for doctors and nurses
Emma Mcanally from East Dunbartonshire was diagnosed with HIV six years ago and experienced stigma while giving birth.
Last updated 1st Dec 2022
A woman from East Dunbartonshire is calling for better bedside training for doctors and nurses dealing treating people with a positive HIV status.
Emma Mcannally was diagnosed 6 years ago and faced discrimination when giving birth to her son.
"When I went into labour, I had to face more stigma"
Speaking to MFR on World Aids Day, she said: "Some people in healthcare may already have training around blood-borne viruses, but they might still hold negative beliefs and prejudices.
"Often it can be difficult to understand what the myths surrounding HIV are until you've met someone with a positive status.
"I was supposed to be getting looked after in a unit specially designed to care for pregnant women with HIV, but it was a tough experience.
"I had a really good pregnancy, but there were a couple of incidents throughout that time which really affected my mental health.
"When I went into labour, I then had to face more stigma which ultimately had a negative impact on my birthing experience as a whole."
"I live a normal life"
Emma now talks openly about her positive status and campaigns to raise awareness of HIV to help meet the government's target of ending transmission by 2030.
She added: "HIV is not a death sentence - it is treatable.
"I live a normal life and it does not affect me on a day-to-day basis and it means I can't transmit the virus to anyone else.
"It is important for everyone to know their status because it would help to stop new infections and eradicate the virus in the future."
Rugby star Gareth Thomas publicly revealed his diagnosis three years ago and tours the country encouraging people to get tested.
He tells MFR there have been occasions where he has had some difficult encounters because of his positive status.
He said: "If people don't want to shake my hand or they move away from me in a restaurant, they do it out of fear.
"They are worried they will transmit the virus onto themselves and that is not fact and so I feel it is up to me to educate them.
"We live in a society now where I take one tablet a day and that modern medicine stops it from progressing into AIDS.
"It is also important for people to realise HIV and AIDS are not the same thing.
"As much as discrimination can hurt, it makes me shout that little bit louder to make my voice heard."