Hiv/Aids

1.       The name of the issue

Hiv/aids

2.       A summary of the background of the issue

The HIV/AIDS pandemic represents one of the greatest challenges facing developing countries. HIV/AIDS threatens to reverse decades of hard-won development gains. It attacks people in their most productive years, destroys families and communities, and places heavy financial burdens on the economy.

What is HIV/AIDS?

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection causes a gradual depletion and weakening of the immune system. This results in an increased susceptibility of the body to infections, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis, and can lead to the development of AIDS. Most people infected with HIV do not know that they have become infected, because no symptoms develop immediately after the initial infection but they are highly infectious and can transmit the virus to another person.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the term applied to the most advanced stages of HIV infection. The majority of people infected with HIV, if not treated, develop signs of AIDS within 10-15 years.

3.       Details about the issue and why the situation occurs

HIV is most often a sexually transmitted virus. It is passed from one person another during sexual contact that involves vaginal, oral, or anal sex. HIV can also be passed to another person through other means, such as through contact with blood or body fluids. This can occur through such processes as blood transfusions or sharing needles contaminated with HIV. HIV can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Generally the people who are infected with Hiv/aids are

·          the poor

·         women and girls

·         people with multiple sex partners

·         injecting drug users

·         children of infected mothers

HIV is spread Religious, cultural, political and economic differences mean that different countries have different rates and profiles of infection. However, societies which have high levels of poverty and large populations that engage in risky behaviour - such as unsafe sex and injecting drug use - have higher rates of HIV infection.

Conflict and displacement can lead to increased spread of HIV/AIDS as social networks are disrupted and sexual exploitation is used as a weapon.

The AIDS epidemic is affecting women and girls in increasing numbers. Females are biologically more vulnerable to HIV than males. For physiological reasons, women are twice as likely as men to acquire HIV from a single act of unprotected vaginal sex. In many countries, women and girls are also socially and economically more vulnerable. Social and cultural factors mean they are less likely to be able to control with whom, when and how they have sex, and be educated in how to protect themselves from the virus.

4.       What can be done about the issue

Things that can be done about the issue of Hiv/aids are

·         Education campaigns and counselling to advise the cause of HIV and prevention

·         Providing free and easy access to condoms

·         HIV testing facilities for prostitutes and other high risk parties

5.       What organisations are currently doing to address the issue?

Some of the organisations helping with the issue of aids are:

·         World Health Organization

·         UNAIDS: the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

·         Three Ones Principles (UNAIDS)

·         Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

·         Facing the global challenge, HIV/AIDS in Vietnam

·         The millennium development goals.

The strategy the these organisations are aiming for aims to advance global progress in achieving country set targets for universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and to halt and reverse the spread of HIV and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development goals by 2015.

6.       What suggestions can you offer to address the issue

To prevent the spread of Hiv/aids, your first priority is to protect yourself from the HIV infection. You can do this by:               

·         Learn the basic facts about how you can and cannot become infected with HIV

·         Use protection when having sexual intercourse

·         Never come in contact with anyone else’s blood or bodily fluids. If you have to use protection e.g. towel, gloves etc

The government can also help the prevention of aids by:

·         Pay for education programs at schools and universities

·         Provide free condoms at chemists and pharmacies

·         Have free Hiv tests available to those who can’t afford it.