**8. Recommendations**

The government should, as suggested by some of the participants, support PLWHA whose positive HIV status is exposed through creating a protective work policy and providing them with free ART, as this will be a motivator for other people with positive HIV status to come forward for help. The government should help in providing micro credits for those trying to set-up a living and doing business. This is important for PLWHA who are poor and jobless to enable them pay their user fees, buy regular drugs, do laboratory investigations and take care of their families.

Government should continue with efforts to educate the population on HIV/AIDS-related stigma which, when reduced, will enable people to go for VCT and seek appropriate care in health-care institutions in an early stage. Furthermore, education of people about the options of ART and possibilities of care will increase the self-efficacy of PLWHA.

Government should continue to involve and commit stakeholders such as media, religious and community leaders in educating people about HIV/AIDS, stigma and HIV/AIDS care as that will help people in making appropriate care choices. Policymakers should also involve PLWHA at all levels of consultation to ensure that all their needs are well represented. Special attention should go to youths through special targeted HIV/AIDS programmes. In addition, effective gender-specific policies that protect women but include the role of men should be integrated into programmes to ensure full utilization and support such as protection of women who find out their positive HIV status in antenatal care. Finally, the national HIV strategies should involve and support the members of vulnerable groups such as the association networks of PLWHA which are important to continue efforts of reducing the broader stigma in society and health care institutions.
