Chika Ekezie, an indigene of Imo State living with HIV, has recounted how his diagnosis and experience of discrimination inspired him to become an advocate for people living with the condition.
Ekezie said he publicly disclosed his HIV status in November 2024 after spending seven years denying his condition.
In an interview with The Punch, he explained that he discovered his status after experiencing recurring health problems, including fever, fatigue, pneumonia, night sweats, severe headaches and weight loss.
He said he initially ignored the symptoms, often visiting pharmacies to buy medication and resting whenever he felt better. However, after repeatedly falling ill, he eventually went to a hospital, where medical tests revealed that he was living with HIV.
How Ekezie Discovered His HIV Status
Recounting his reaction to the diagnosis, Ekezie said he was initially not particularly troubled because he had heard about HIV, although he did not fully understand the condition at the time.
He explained that his perception changed after he began experiencing stigma from people around him.
According to Ekezie, he was working with a magazine agency in Lagos when his frequent illnesses raised concerns among his employers. They reportedly questioned him about his recurring health problems and appearance before giving him money to undergo medical tests at a hospital they recommended.
‘By 4pm, They Told Me to Leave’
Ekezie said his employers requested that he present the test results because the company had paid for the medical examinations.
He recalled that after submitting the results at about 10am, he was informed four hours later that the company was renovating its premises and that he had to leave.
He said:
“When the results came out, I had to show them at my workplace because the company paid for the tests. I presented the results at about 10am, and by 4pm, they told me that the company was renovating its premises and that I had to leave.”
Ekezie described the incident as his first experience of HIV-related stigma. He said he left Lagos that same day, boarding a night bus.
How His HIV Status Became Public
The Imo indigene further explained that someone who had recommended him for the job was contacted by his employers and subsequently disclosed his HIV status to another person.
According to Ekezie, the information spread quickly before he realised what was happening.
His account highlights the discrimination and privacy concerns that people living with HIV may encounter, particularly when their health status becomes known without their consent.
Ekezie eventually went public with his status in November 2024 and became an advocate, drawing on his personal experience to speak about living with HIV and the stigma associated with it.
