Today (Tuesday 1st December) is world aids day, a day to raise awareness and help to remove the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) attacks the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off illnesses. This will often develop into AIDS – where the sufferers’ immune system becomes too weak to fight off infection. It is estimated that 33 million people around the world are living with HIV, and about two million people die every year.
The sad thing is that HIV/AIDS is preventable, with the right education and protection the rate of infections could be reduced. Added to this there is a big stigma attached to those who are HIV positive. The disease is most commonly passed on through unprotected sex or sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment. It is not passed on by kissing, shaking hands with or being in the same room as an HIV positive person. World Aids Day attempts to break down the barriers, dispel the myths and stop the discrimination.
In the UK HIV/AIDS is often seen as a disease caught by gay men. Although the majority of the HIV positive population are gay or bisexual, in 2008 more heterosexuals were diagnosed with HIV then gay men. People need to remember that anybody can catch HIV/AIDS. No one is immune.
Elsewhere, Sub Saharan Africa is affected by HIV/AIDS more than any other region in the world. It is estimated that 22.4 million are living with the virus in the region. Access to antiviral drugs is limited due to a lack of funding. And support for those with HIV/AIDS is not always available. The stigma is much worse in Africa and life can be really tough for those suffering from the disease due to the ignorance and lack of education about HIV/AIDS. (Find out more about HIV/AIDS in Africa here).
Maybe one thing you could do today for World Aids Day would be to find out the truth about HIV/AIDS, help dismiss the myths and remove the stigma after all isn’t everyone human?
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