While some are dealing with the devastation in a caring way, many through ignorance are shunning their HIV-infected family members, says World AIDS Day Committee chairwoman Mrs. Joan Dillas Wright.

With AIDS and the Family the theme of the event, Mrs. Dillas Wright hopes to promote more compassion for people infected with HIV.

Latest statistics show 287 residents have been diagnosed with AIDS; 239 of that number have died of it. An additional 191 have tested HIV positive but have so far not gone on to develop AIDS.

"Sure there are families that support members with AIDS, but their are others who totally reject and neglect them,'' Mrs. Dillas Wright.

Mrs. Dillas Wright, a nursing officer at St. Brendan's, said she shared the view of Health Watch co-founder Mr. Eugene Carmichael that, generally, Bermuda's response to people with AIDS was a "disgrace''. She believed there were more than a few pockets of families casting away relatives who contract the virus. And there was still much discrimination and fear of people with AIDS.

She called for "a much more aggressive'' approach to AIDS education plus more community support.

A national AIDS programme was needed following the demise a couple of years ago of the AIDS taskforce, she said.

"There is still a lot of stigma and ignorance attached to the disease. It was like that with Cancer and TB,'' she said. Helping in her committee's efforts is American Ms Debbie Thomas.

The Georgia resident arrives today to take part in Bermuda's World AIDS Day activities.

Ms Thomas, who tested HIV positive in 1985 and has so far not developed full-blown AIDS, spearheads the Georgia Women Preventing AIDS Campaign.

She founded Positive People, a computer dating service for HIV positive people which also offers AIDS education, risk reduction advice, training and counselling.