The above revelation was made during the launching Blasius Ngome’s “I Have AIDS.”
Cameroon’s government through the Ministry of Public Health has launched a ruthless battle against stigmatisation, which is believed to be more detrimental than the actual effects of the AIDS pandemic on the human body.It would be noted that the fight against HIV/AIDS has grown beyond prevention and transmission. Though both approaches are still relevant, the major bone of contention is how to accept and live with the virus, as well as being accepted and let to live without any strings attached to one’s personality. Such is the dilemma faced by the main character, Damascus Sondia in Blasius Ngome’s “J’ai le SIDA” the French version of his novel “I Have AIDS”.
Due to a reckless s*e*xual life, Sonia undergoes a hectic mental trauma when advised by his ophthalmologist to do an HIV/AIDS screening. Asked to return for his results after two days, the 48-hour delay was longer than two years. Time during which Sondia reviewed his life, though the only thing he could see was death.
He even intended to write his will, dig up his own grave, chose his funeral attire, select the funeral songs and prepare everything as though he was there. It was equally a time when he sought God more than ever before in his life, believing the day of reckoning with his maker was at hand.
In the 206-page novel, the author through the lead character’s mind reveals the devastating effects of the pandemic with characters like Cornelius Kwedi who organises an “Operation AIDS for all” in distributing the pandemic, while others had committed suicide. Due to ignorance and the fear of stigmatisation, none in effect actually dies of AIDS itself. When Sondia’s medical test revealed negative, he resolved to contribute immensely in the fight again the killer disease, though his was a narrow escape.
