Fighting HIV stigma in Croatia

By Marko Kovac
BBC, Zagreb

Not everyone cheerfully greeted this year's first day of school in the small town of Kutina in central Croatia.

Some 40 parents staged a protest rally outside Stjepan Kefelja Elementary School this September after they pulled their children out of the otherwise cheerful 2b class.

She was so excited about her first day at school Branko Oblak, foster father

The talk of the town had become an eight-year-old girl Ela, who had moved with her foster parents to Kutina some months ago.

Ela is infected with HIV.

Although Croatia and the region of Western Balkans have the smallest numbers of HIV cases in Europe, international organisations warn of a possible rapid epidemic.

Ela has confronted prejudice in Zagreb, Kastel and Kutina

Ela was born infected with HIV. Her parents were heroin addicts and died long before she ever got to know them.

Adopted by the Oblak family, she has travelled with her troubles through three Croatian towns and has had to confront prejudice and anger over her disease in each and every new environment.

People of both the urban capital Zagreb and the coastal town of Kastel expressed their outrage with the Oblaks after local media broke the story of Ela's condition and gave away her identity last year.

We provide the latest retroviral therapies free of charge to everyone in need Andro Vlahusic, health minister

None of this makes sense to this small girl, who yearns for her first classes of English with only a handful of colleagues, whose parents defied a group-decision not to send their children to school.

"She was so excited about her first day. She would prance around the house with her backpack full of colouring books and crayons, asking impatiently when school would finally start," said Branko Oblak, her foster father.

Ignorance

The efforts of Croatia's health minister and medical experts to educate parents had little impact.

"I only have one child and don't want to take any risks," explains one of the protestors, Miljenko Mitrovic, making worrying looks towards Ela's class.

"Doctors tell us that infection with HIV is theoretically impossible, but practically possible. We don't understand that. They tell that there's no danger, and then teach our children how to wash hands," says another parent, refusing to be photographed or give his name.

Even Prime Minister Ivica Racan's emotional meeting with Ela didn't persuade the people of Kutina.

Psychologist Mirjana Krizmanic explains that the relatively small number of known HIV infections in Croatia - around 360 - is the reason that the disease remains so misunderstood.

"It's a question of civilization and progress," she says, appealing to the government, institutions and the Church "to do more in breaking down the walls of fear and ignorance."

Free drugs

Merchant sailor Croats are increasing the indigenous spread of HIV World Bank Case Studies Report: Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria

Croatia's Health Minister Andro Vlahusic feels proud of his government's fight against HIV/Aids.

"We provide the latest retroviral therapies free of charge to everyone in need," he says.

Since the mid 1980s about 100 patients have died of Aids in Croatia.

The Government lately has taken on the role of spreading its experience to other countries in the region, such as Albania and Bosnia.

In a recent study, the World Bank called upon the Governments of Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria to address the rising numbers of injected-drug users and sex workers in order to keep HIV from reaching the high levels found in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe.

The World Bank also has raised concerns that merchant sailor Croats, travelling back and forth to Croatian costal areas, are increasing the indigenous spread of HIV.

They'll watch where you walk or what you touch Tomislav Vurusic, Head of the HIV Patients Society

All this sounds too familiar to Tomislav Vurusic, head of the HIV Patients Society, the leading non-governmental organisation of its kind in Croatia.

Vurusic spends his days raising awareness about the disease and counselling patients, assuring them they can talk of their troubles under anonymity.

"Patients are afraid to give their names, because they fear social exclusion. When your apartment block finds out you're infected, they'll watch where you walk or what you touch," says Vurusic.

He gives evidence of exclusion even in the cosmopolitan city of Zagreb, where his organisation tried to find a dentist for its members, but with little success - no one answered their request.

Back in Kutina, Ela still feels the consequences of prejudice. Her life has been forever changed by the killer disease.

"I'm sorry that the task of breaking the ice on discussion about Aids in Croatia was around this small helpless girl, but someone had to do it, like Magic Johnson did in the United States," says minister Andro Vlahusic.

The Oblak family has imposed a blackout on media, refusing to talk to journalists.

Meanwhile, the news of one other family with an HIV-positive child leaving the country occupies media attention.

Croatia's fight against Aids prejudice is only beginning.

---

The following comments reflect the balance of views we received:

I shared this story today with the children I teach - they are intellectually handicapped, some are visually and hearing impaired, some have behaviour problems - I guess their reaction was best summed up in what one little girl, nine years old, said - "Why don't we get her to come here? Our class is special and we all got problems - but everyone treats us special and nice" The little girl who said this is visually impaired, hearing impaired and very very handicapped intellectually - but she beats them adults complete - where is the compassion?
Bill, Australia

Prejudice is what destroys the human race Ioannis, Greece

It is really sad to hear something like that. Prejudice is what destroys the human race; little knowledge can hurt a lot of the times.
Ioannis, Greece

Ana: I am Mexican and currently go to boarding school in Switzerland. My roommate is Croatian and I see the impact this story had on her. It is not the girls' fault she is infected with the virus. People should accept the fact that this disease is present and is real. Mirta: I've always been proud of being Croatian and represented my country with honour. This story really touched me and made me realise how lucky I am with being aware of the problems occurring in the world. I wish I could share my knowledge with my people because it is not Ela's fault, it is ours.
Ana Sofia Cirilo, Mexico and Mirta Macesic, Croatia

I remember one year back, a similar incident happened in Kerala, South India, two twin boys who were affected by HIV, were boycotted from the school by other students and the teachers. Even after getting a favourable verdict from the courts. The little boys couldn't go to school. The other parents simply refused to let their children study in the same school. A federal minister hugged the children publicly in front of full media. However still, they had to study at home. It is very hard to change the mentality. You can't blame the parents as they are simply scared.
Prasanth Lal, India

Croatians tend to think of themselves as the sophisticated westerners of the Balkans/former Yugoslavia, but this is hardly a good Catholic attitude, nor likely to make a positive impression on the EU, NATO etc. Croatians have received a lot of kindness from those more fortunate than them in recent years; let's see them pass some on.
Alex, Bosnia

People in our country do not meet HIV positive people often, we always hear about aids and think that it happens somewhere else and are not educated enough about it. Little Ela is suffering because it someone put her name in newspaper, and parents are afraid for their children. Local authorities should be more into this and teach people! I feel about this like we live in woods and not in Europe. Best regards!
Mario, Croatia

Compassion and understanding seem to be something a lot of people think they have, but sadly lack when it is called for Wassim Al-Adel, UK

I was saddened to read your story on parents' reactions to Ela attending the same school as their children. Compassion and understanding seem to be something a lot of people think they have, but sadly lack when it is called for. I hope she has a good life, and perhaps such experiences would make her a stronger person. Good luck!
Wassim Al-Adel, UK

No one should be have to fight both this terrible disease and human ignorance Janja, Serbia

In neighbouring Serbia, where I live, situation is not better. HIV positive people are labelled as "immoral", or "perverts" who brought their doom upon themselves. It is up to state and Church (which has great impact on public, in both Serbia and Croatia) to break prejudice and ignorance. Politicians and clergy are avoiding this subject fearing they might step on some toes. My heart is breaking for this little girl. No one should be have to fight both this terrible disease and human ignorance.
Janja, Serbia

It saddens me to know that there is still so much ignorance in the world today with all of the knowledge that we now have on AIDS/HIV. This fear that is being experienced in Croatia is a fire that needs to be extinguished with education. Putting a higher precedence on getting the right information out to the public will hopefully be enough to get this child and others like her out in the world without shame. Hasn't she been enough of a victim already?
Robert Moss, USA

How can a society prejudice against an eight year old who was unlucky enough to be born with such a horrible inheritance?
Con Turnbull, Austria

This little girl shouldn't at all be discriminated against just because she has HIV, it wasn't Ela's fault she got HIV she contracted this through her parents. I think the Croatian people will need to change the thinking radically against HIV and people who have AIDS because not understanding this disease will only spread it. I hope this little girl Ela with it well and her Family too.
Alija, USA

This story nearly made me cry. I just felt so sad for her and the family which is taking care of Ella. I feel she is facing all that horrible social attitude for no sin of her own. I wish if I could do anything for that little girl. If ever, that family abandons her, I would like to adopt her and take care of her. May God help that poor child. The government should do better to help that child. The government can consider her sending to USA for her education as there she might not have to face so many difficulties. I just wish life turns as good to her as to most of us. I pray to God for her.
Dr. Hamid Ishaq Cheema, United Arab Emirates.

This little girl needs love and affection not to be looked on as if she has two heads, HIV is a real disease and people need help. I am disappointed in this news as I love Croatia very much and have been to Kutina to stay with friends there, I was also in South Africa this year and unless we deal with the disaster of HIV and AIDS then millions and millions of people will die.
John Dougan, Stranraer, Scotland

A sad case, yet understandable that people who know little or nothing of the disease should react this way. Douglas Fear, Germany

A sad case, yet understandable that people who know little or nothing of the disease should react this way. Obviously a massive amount of informative work must be done to make clear the real case in such countries. Since it is in everyone's interest to stop AIDS spreading, how about the richer countries of Europe making a few funds available for Croatia and other countries to educate their populace?
Douglas Fear, Germany

It's a shame that an eight year old girl has to suffer because of the ignorance of others. Don't they know she has suffered enough? These parents of this girl's classmates should teach their children and the rest of their community how to show sympathy.
Fernando, Canada

This child and others like her are not the threat. The wilful ignorance and prejudice of the adults are.
AMMB, USA

It is heart-breaking to see such a helpless young person caught up in a vicious cycle faced by so many people living with HIV, that progresses from prejudice, through stigma and discrimination, to finally denial of human rights. Whilst there is no denying that HIV/AIDS is a relatively uncommon disease in the West Balkans, the initiatives at the national and community levels are desperately needed to promote the understanding of the disease itself, as well as to highlight the harm that stigma causes the individual.

Whilst the presence of HIV stigma may never be truly eradicated, a big step towards dismantling this phenomenon that, arguably, does more harm than HIV itself can be made.
Davor Antonic-McKinley, UK