MONROVIA — The National AIDS and STI Control Program at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has dismissed a list circulating on social media that falsely claims to identify specific communities in Liberia with high HIV rates.
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
The clarification was made by Dr. Jonathan Flomo, Program Manager of the National AIDS and STI Control Program, during his appearance on the Ministry of Health’s radio program Roadway to Health on ELBC Tuesday, November 25, 2025, where he warned that such misinformation fuels stigma and undermines progress in the national HIV response.
The viral list, shared widely on Facebook, did not originate from any official health agency but spread rapidly online, generating fear in several communities. The Duport Road community in Paynesville was particularly targeted, as social media posts alleged that it was among the areas with the highest number of HIV cases.
These claims triggered panic and embarrassment among residents, some of whom worried about how the misinformation might shape public attitudes toward them.
During the broadcast, Dr. Flomo stressed that no breakdown of HIV data per community has ever been released by the National AIDS and STI Control Program or the Ministry of Health. He emphasized that the program has no record of producing any such list and warned that the circulation of the false document is harmful, not only for spreading misinformation but for reinforcing damaging stereotypes.
“What we are seeing with this fake list is a dangerous and deliberate attempt to stigmatize hardworking communities like Duport Road,” Dr. Flomo said. “No institution under the Ministry of Health has ever issued a community-by-community HIV ranking, and we would never do so because such practices violate ethical standards and fuel discrimination rather than encourage care.”
He added that once stigma takes root, it becomes difficult to correct public perception and even harder to encourage people to seek testing and treatment.
“People must understand that when you label an entire community with a disease based on lies, you destroy trust,” Dr. Flomo emphasized. “You make it harder for residents to come forward for testing, you drive them into silence, and you weaken all the public health gains we have made over the years.”
Addressing the growing concerns, Dr. Flomo said stigmatizing a community because of a disease helps no one. He explained that stigma pushes individuals into fear and isolation, delaying treatment and increasing the risk of transmission. According to him, the moment a false label is attached to a community, it affects residents socially, economically, and psychologically.
“Stigma is a barrier that kills,” he said. “When people feel judged or targeted, they avoid health centers, they avoid treatment, and they suffer in silence. That is why we consistently warn the public not to weaponize HIV to shame neighborhoods. Diseases do not discriminate, and neither should we.”
He further cautioned that no one should ever be mocked or profiled over their HIV status.
“HIV is not a moral verdict; it is a medical condition,” Dr. Flomo noted. “Every time misinformation spreads, we take ten steps backward in our fight to educate the population. Our focus is national and countywide data because our goal is prevention, treatment, and care, not community shaming and rumor-mongering.”
Dr. Flomo reminded the public that an estimated 36,000 people are currently living with HIV in Liberia, with more than 31,000 already receiving treatment and responding well. He warned that the country’s progress would be undermined if Liberians allow misinformation to derail collective efforts.
He urged Liberians to understand the danger of spreading unverified information and reminded the public that health data must always come from credible and authorized sources.
Dr. Flomo also appealed to citizens to help correct the misinformation rather than amplify it. He stressed that every Liberian has a role to play in protecting others from stigma and discrimination by countering false narratives, promoting compassion, and supporting loved ones who may be living with the virus.
“HIV is everyone’s business, and the fight against it requires unity, not division.” He called on all Liberians to remain vigilant against misinformation and to stand against any form of stigma directed at Duport Road or any other community.
The Ministry of Health, meanwhile, continues to encourage preventive measures such as regular testing, safer sex practices, and treatment adherence. The Ministry reminded the public that no one is immune to HIV and that protecting oneself and loved ones remains a personal responsibility.
