Stigma and infectious diseases in Africa: examining impact and strategies for reduction

Author:

Omosigho Pius Omoruyi1,John Okesanya Olalekan23,Musa Mohamed Babiker4,Aboelhassan Youssry Mohamed Elsawy Ibrahim5,Olabode Olaleke Noah6,Bouaddi Oumnia78,Mengesha Dawit Tesfagiorgis9,Micheal Abioye Sunday10,Modber Mohamed Abdul Kareem Adam11,Sow Alhaji Umar12,Kheir Sara Gabrallah M.13,Shomuyiwa Deborah Oluwaseun14,Adebimpe Oso Tolutope2,Manirambona Emery1516,Lucero-Prisno Don Eliseo17

Affiliation:

1. Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Edo State University Uzairue, Benin

2. Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta

3. Global Health Focus Africa, Abuja

4. Faculty of Pharmacy, Omdurman Islamic University

5. Research Assistant, Research and development (R&D), Heliopolis University, Cairo, Egypt

6. Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife

7. International School of Public Health, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences, Casablanca

8. Mohammed VI Center For Research and Innovation, Rabat, Morocco

9. Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

10. Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Public Health, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State

11. Faculty of Nursing Sciences, University of Khartoum

12. College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown

13. The Global Fund-PMU-Sudan Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan

14. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

15. College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda

16. Research Unit, Global Health Focus, Bujumbura, Burundi

17. Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

Abstract

Stigma poses a significant barrier to accessing care, managing, and preventing infectious diseases in Africa. The authors conducted an extensive search across Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar to identify relevant English-language articles, with no constraints on publication dates, using the keywords “Stigma,” and “Infectious Disease,” in conjunction with “Africa.” This article explores the multifaceted nature of stigma associated with infectious diseases, highlighting its impact on healthcare access and public health outcomes. It delves into the current situation of infectious disease-related stigma in Africa, emphasizing the various diseases and contexts affected. The article identifies drivers of stigma, including negative attitudes, misinformation, and institutional practices, and discusses their role in perpetuating discrimination. Importantly, it provides recommendations for addressing infectious disease stigma in Africa through comprehensive strategies encompassing health education, contact-based interventions, professionalized counselling and peer support services, and community engagement. The article calls for collaboration among governments, healthcare organizations, NGOs, and community leaders to implement holistic strategies that prioritize inclusivity and stigma reduction. Ultimately, it underscores the urgent need to combat stigma to improve healthcare access and outcomes for individuals affected by infectious diseases in Africa.

Publisher

Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)

Subject

General Medicine,Surgery

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