Reuters NewMedia – July 16, 2004
Darren Schuettler

Middle East doctors join hands to fight Aids

July 16, 2004 at 08:57 AM

"People do not acknowledge that we have a problem. People are fooling themselves," said Dr. Etaf Maqboul of Bethlehem University, blaming a conservative culture for driving HIV/Aids underground.

In some cases, the stigma attached disease has driven families to cast out relatives with HIV. People who may have HIV are afraid to get tested and some medical workers are reluctant to treat people with the disease for fear they will be infected.

"We are a conservative society. People think those who have HIV/Aids got it through illegal sex. They do not feel any empathy or sympathy," Maqboul said.

She said meeting with the Israeli counterparts showed they could put politics aside and tackle the disease together – at least away from the conflict at home.

Before the Palestinian uprising began three and a half years ago, Maqboul met Israeli researchers regularly. That channel is all but closed due to restrictions on freedom of movement.