Tamar Gakhokidze was infected with HIV by an unsterilized tool during a dentist procedure in jail in 2007 when she was 25. Now a mother of four, she runs her own organization supporting HIV-positive women.

“I want to be a durable wall for them, and I think I am”, says Tamar, who openly talks about her diagnosis, because she believes this is important to raise awareness about HIV in Georgia and overcome the stigma around this infection.

While in jail, Tamar had been regularly taking tests provided by the Center for Information and Counseling on Reproductive Health “Tanadgoma”. She remembers how shocked she was when her test result was positive.

“I said I would not hide this, and I have never done so”, she says.

When Tamar was diagnosed with HIV, there was still little information about this infection in Georgia, and she was scared to death: “The only thing I knew was that I would never be cured and that I might die anytime”.

As of 2024, a total of 11, 025 people (8,266 men and 2,759 women) has been totally diagnosed with HIV in Georgia since 1989, while 2,331 people have unfortunately died. The average age of those who have tested positive is 38 (majority of them is 29-40), based on the data provided by the Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center.

Today, HIV-positive people get married, deliver children, and live an ordinary life. Tamar, who supports other people to live with HIV, is among them. Her treatment has been successful, and she is not transmittable anymore thanks to the regular medicines prescribed by specialists. But she is aware if she misses out the medication, the infection may “activate” anytime again.  

Although people have become more aware of HIV and the ways of its transmission, Tamar says there are cases when people still show ignorance and try to avoid HIV-infected people from their surroundings. For example, Tamar’s daughter, who has no HIV at all, was recently dismissed from a ballet class because of her mother’s diagnosis.  

Nino Badridze, Head of Epidemiological Department at the Infectious Diseases, AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, with over 30 years of experience, says Georgia has made giant steps in overcoming the stigma, especially among the young generations. However, there are still exceptional cases when HIV-positive people are being dismissed from their jobs.

“[In such cases] we contact their supervisors and explain these people do not pose any threat to other personnel. Moreover, those who currently undergo the treatment, do not transmit the infection even to their own sex partners”, Badridze says.

She calls on everyone who has ever experienced any of the risky behaviors, including unsafe sex, to do the screening, “because the earlier we start the treatment, the more efficient it is”.

“HIV is a chronic disease, which can be managed via uninterrupted treatment… The life expectancy of those, who have been timely diagnosed with HIV and undergo treatment, is almost like those who do not have this diagnosis.”

HIV testing is free in Georgia. However, late detection of the cases remains a challenge.

According to the survey carried out with support of UNFPA in Georgia in 2020, low awareness, limited access to information, common myths and stereotypes, fear of positive test results, expectations of negative attitudes, discrimination, as well as the fear of anonymity and confidentiality breach are among the barriers for low demand and uptake of HIV testing among youth in Georgia.

Kakhaber Kepuladze, healthcare professional, representative of the Center for Information and Counseling on Reproductive Health “Tanadgoma” says to overcome the stigma, we should bring up the generations, which will be free from stereotypes.

To promote the service uptake, Kepuladze suggests increasing public availability on self-tests and other innovative methodologies like outdoor boxes with condoms, syringes, pregnancy tests, and other medical supplies for beneficiaries without being noticed.

He also says, it is important to identify the needs to prevent the spread of HIV by involving the people of various risky behaviors in the decision-making processes:

“There are no stigma-free countries, but a lot of countries have succeeded in ensuring there is no stigma-based discrimination at least… Can we defeat stigma? We should be in constant fight to ensure zero discrimination.”