A new culture?

Yesterday I saw 2 men in my clinic.

They were as different from each other as the moon is from the sun.

One is a good looking Malay executive in his early 30s. He could be a movie star or even a model.

The other is an average joe, having barely left his teenage years, undergoing training in a local training college.

But they also have many similarities:

1. Both are MSMs (men-who-have-sex-with-men; personally I think this acronym is a little corny)

2. Both have been diagnosed with HIV infection over the last 2 weeks.

3. Both have a good circle of friends with the same lifestyle.

And the most striking similarity between them is this:

Both declared that they were not at all shocked nor suprised with their diagnosis. In fact, both even expected it! It was just a matter of ‘when’ they will get it! Both of them told me that “lots of their friends have it” and it’s somewhat “okay.”

I find this disturbing.

Has the gay culture evolved from “I will practise a lifestyle that will minimise the risk of me getting infected with HIV” to “I will get it eventually, it’s just a matter of when”.

If this is true, then it’s a troubling sign in my opinion.

I wonder if the government initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS over the last 2 years have contributed to this new trend. Initiatives such as giving free HAART; the free needle exchange program and the Methadone replacement therapy.

I once remarked to a fellow colleague, “whatever is given out free will eventually be taken for granted”.

I fear that with this new trend or culture, people-at-risk would throw caution to the wind, live recklessly, get infected and then fall back on free HAART, free needles, and free Methadone!

It’s a scary thought.

I always thought it is better to live life free of HAART, rather than with free HAART…

Wed, 031208 @ 0700; on call.