Preventing stigma related to COVID-19 requires full-throated campaign, says expert Gita Sen

Gita Sen, director and distinguished professor, Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity & Social Determinants of Health, Public Health Foundation of India, spoke to The Hindu about how the stigma attached to COVID-19 is much like what was seen with HIV/AIDS and how it is a result of poor knowledge. Three sets of people are being stigmatised now: those in quarantine, whether they have tested positive or not – many state governments are violating medical ethics codes by publicising address details, marking doors of their homes with stickers and even large posters, stamping them with indelible ink – and stories are coming in of people being thrown out of their homes, shunned, etc health workers from doctors down to the frontline workers are facing stigma and discrimination including losing their homes because their landlords somehow think they will be contagious those who traditionally face discrimination like migrant workers, people from the northeast, victims of religious or other persecution. The most vulnerable groups to the virus are the poor in urban slums, migrant workers with no homes, people living in close proximity with little possibility of social distancing or even hand-washing. How good it would be if the Union Health Minister were to give a daily briefing to let people know what is happening, together with creative social media campaigns about the virus itself that gets rid of the stigma?