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Sunday, 6 December 2009

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HIV - No longer a death sentence

On December 1, the world marked International AIDS Day. It has become an important date in the calendar for the worldwide community of AIDS/HIV patients, caregivers, doctors and the pharmaceutical industry. Technological advances are making it easier for HIV patients to lead fuller, more productive lives without thinking of it as a 'death sentence'.

There are a lot of misconceptions among youth on HIV/AIDS, even though it has been around for three decades. Sex education is one of the best courses of action that could prevent the spread of HIV, a global pandemic, among the youth population. The importance of practising safe sex should be stressed.

There is both good and bad news on the HIV front. The good news is that the estimated number of new HIV infections worldwide each year has declined about 17% since 2001. The bad news is that for every five people infected; only two begin treatment especially in the poorer nations.

About 2.7 million people were newly infected with the virus that causes AIDS last year, compared with about 3.3 million in 2001. The biggest gains were in sub-Saharan Africa, where there were 400,000 fewer infections, even though the region still accounts for 67 percent of all new infections. Asia is also becoming a centre for HIV expansion.

About 430,000 children were born with HIV in 2008, bringing the number of children under the age of 15 living with the virus to 2.1 million. An estimated 33.4 million people were HIV-positive worldwide in 2008, a slight increase from 33 million in 2007. Another positive trend is that more people are living longer after infection because of the increased availability of antiretroviral drugs that keep the virus at bay. Better drugs are also available for complications arising out of the HIV patients’ lack of immunity to diseases.

About four million people were receiving AIDS drugs at the end of 2008, but an additional five million people need treatment and are not receiving it, according to the World Health Organisation. This is an alarming trend. These are lives that can be saved with early detection and medical attention.

One of the biggest problems facing HIV/AIDS patients is the stigma attached to the condition. Most people would not even want to go near a HIV patient as they do not know that casual contact does not transmit HIV.

These patients can lead near-normal lives if given adequate drugs. They deserve our care, love and understanding. In fact, this echoes the theme of this year’s World AIDS Day – Universal Access and Human Rights. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on “all countries to live up to their commitments to enact or enforce legislation outlawing discrimination against people living with HIV and members of vulnerable groups”. On this World AIDS Day, we have to work to remove punitive laws and practices and put an end to discrimination against and criminalization of people affected by HIV to make the world a better place for them.

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