HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is transmitted through body fluids; in particular blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk.

It has been established that transmission takes place in four ways: unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner (the most common); blood and blood products through, for example, infected transfusions and organ or tissue transplants, or the use of contaminated injection or other skin-piercing equipment; transmission from infected mother to child in the womb or at birth; and breastfeeding.

HIV is not transmitted by casual physical contact, coughing, sneezing and kissing, by sharing toilet and washing facilities, by using eating utensils or consuming food and beverages handled by someone who has HIV; it is not spread by mosquitoes or other insect bites.

HIV weakens the human body’s immune system, making it difficult to fight infection. A person may live for ten years or more after infection, much of this time without symptoms or sickness, although they can still transmit the infection to others.

Early symptoms of AIDS include: chronic fatigue, diarrhoea, fever, mental changes such as memory loss, weight loss, persistent cough, severe recurrent skin rashes, herpes and mouth infections and swelling of the lymph nodes. Opportunistic diseases such as cancers, meningitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis may also take advantage of the body’s weakened immune system.

Although periods of illness may be interspersed with periods of remission, AIDS is almost always fatal.

Prevention of HIV/AIDS

HIV infection is preventable. HIV is a fragile virus, which can only survive in a limited range of conditions. It can only enter the body through naturally moist places and cannot penetrate unbroken skin. Prevention therefore involves:

·    Ensuring that there is a barrier to the virus, for example condoms or protective equipment such as gloves and masks (where appropriate);

·    Ensuring that skin-piercing equipment is not contaminated.

Prevention can also involve:

·    Informing people about factors which cause HIV/AIDS i.e. the ways of transmission;

·    Promoting awareness and prevention programmes, particularly in the rural zones;

·    changing in behaviour, knowledge, treatment and creating a non-discriminatory environment;

·    Promoting prevention efforts particularly in relation to changing attitudes and behaviours through the provision of information and education.

Management of HIV/AIDS

Solidarity, care and support are critical elements that should guide a society or community in responding to HIV/AIDS. The following actions can be taken to manage HIV/AIDS:

·    Governments should promote care and support through public healthcare programmes, social security systems and/or other relevant government initiatives;

·    Mechanisms should be created to encourage openness, acceptance and support for those who disclose their HIV status and ensure that they are not discriminated against nor stigmatized;

·    People should endeavour to provide counselling and other forms of social support to people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS;

·    Health-care services should provide appropriate and affordable treatment. Linkages such as this have the advantage of reaching beyond the sufferers, to cover their families, in particular their children;

·    Partnership between governments, population and other relevant stakeholders also ensures effective delivery of services and saves costs.

Elimination of HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS cannot be eliminated, only some medicines like Antiretroviral drugs are available to slow its progression and prolong life of the sufferers. However, these are very expensive and consequently unavailable to most sufferers. But the situation is changing rapidly because research is currently going on into vaccines even if none is viable as yet. The virus is killed by bleach, strong detergents and very hot water.

Conclusion

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is now a global crisis and constitutes one of the most formidable challenges to development and social progress. In the most affected countries, the epidemic is eroding decades of development gains, undermining economies, threatening security and destabilizing societies. In sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic has already had a devastating impact, the crisis has created a state of emergency.

Beyond the suffering it imposes on individuals and their families, the epidemic is profoundly affecting the social and economic fabric of societies.

HIV/AIDS is affecting fundamental Human rights, particularly with respect to discrimination and stigmatization aimed at people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. The epidemic and its impact strike hardest at vulnerable groups including women and children, thereby increasing existing gender inequalities and exacerbating the problem of child labour.

By Mr. Kamagate Yaya, Intern. Marketing in Sigma Group of Institutes -Vadodara.

Source: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---ilo_aids/documents/publication/wcms_113783.pdf

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