Health and HIV/AIDS
20.11.2016
These days, it seems the ‘hype’ around HIV/AIDS is diminishing… some people now consider infection by this once thought-to-be deadly and highly feared virus as ‘just an inconvenience’ since infected people live longer and healthier than before. Hence, there’s the resistance to adhere to stringent measures of protection to prevent infection and transmission. This is really unfortunate because HIV is still as deadly as it was in 1983- when it was first discovered. The only difference today however, is the wealth of available and accessible resources from which information and support about prevention and treatment can be obtained. Despite current improvements, people still have to remain on antiretroviral Therapy (ART) throughout their life time to prevent full blown AIDS. Now if you ask me… that’s more than ‘just an inconvenience’.
There are few important and enlightening facts about HIV/AIDS according to World Health Organization (WHO), they include:
- HIV/AIDS is still one of the world’s most significant public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. So, if you’re looking to have your foot prints on the sands of time, save the world by finding a cure for this virus!
- More people are becoming infected with HIV, particularly men who have sex with men, people in prisons and other closed settings, injection drug users, sex workers and transgender people.
- As mentioned earlier, due to recent advances in access to resources such as antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-positive people now live longer and healthier lives. However, this does not in any way undermine the potency or virulence of the virus as an entity.
- In total, more than 70 million people have been infected with the HIV globally and approximately half of them (35 million) have died.
- ART can prevent onward transmission of HIV. Hence, encourage all infected people to continue using their drugs because successful suppression of the virus delays progression to AIDS.
- At the end of 2015, 17.0 million people were receiving ART worldwide; this represents 46% (43–50%) of all people living with HIV. Remember, undiagnosed cases are not accounted for.
- Globally, 36.7 million [34.0–39.8 million] people were living with HIV at the end of 2015. To put this number in perspective…. Some countries have a population of 35 million… it’s like saying that everyone in one of those countries has HIV!
Bottom line, let’s endeavor to take advantage of the available resources to protect ourselves and our loved ones as well as support people living with HIV/AID- this will reduce the global burden of the virus/disease economically and socially. WHO-suggested prevention and treatment means include testing, male circumcision, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and counseling.
My suggestion… good old abstinence!
Be safe, Ciao!