World AIDS Day-Where were we?

[Assalamualaikum & salam sejahtera]

Today’s is 1st December 2010. When it comes to December, there are many  events that we are really remember. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day on 1st December every year. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar announcements.

Why HIV and AIDS so special till there is a day for it?

First, we need to understand the term. HIV can be explained as:

H – Human – This particular virus can only infect human beings.

I – Immunodeficiency – HIV weakens your immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. A "deficient" immune system can't protect you.

V – Virus – A virus can only reproduce itself by taking over a cell in the body of its host.

While AIDS is:

A – Acquired – AIDS is not something you inherit from your parents. You acquire AIDS after birth.

I – Immuno – Your body's immune system includes all the organs and cells that work to fight off infection or disease.

D – Deficiency – You get AIDS when your immune system is "deficient," or isn't working the way it should.

S – Syndrome – A syndrome is a collection of symptoms and signs of disease. AIDS is a syndrome, rather than a single disease, because it is a complex illness with a wide range of complications and symptoms.

The continuous statistical analysis of HIV and AIDS is perform by many independent bodies and also World Health Organization (WHO). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) operate the largest and most comprehensive HIV/AIDS surveillance system in America. They suggest from the data 2006:

1.   An estimated 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV each year. 2. There are approximately 1.1 million Americans who are living with HIV/AIDS.

3.  The CDC estimates that 21% of HIV-positive people don’t know they are infected-meaning they may be transmitting HIV without knowing it.

WHO perform surveillance system for integrated data of AIDS and HIV infected patients around the world. Here are the data from 2008 and 2009.

2010 Global Report Core En 2009 Global Report Core En

From the both data, we can imagine that the burden of the disease is very huge to the world health. Thus, World AIDS Day 2010 is design to increase awareness of people around the world that we have a high risk to get infected with HIV and lead to AIDS if not manage carefully. Currently, the Antiretroviral drug is supply by WHO and other NGO’s to the world. They required a lot of money to keep ample delivery and production of the drug. Thus, World AIDS Day also used as a platform to increase human right awareness to contribute to reduce the burden of disease.

AIDS and HIV infection used to be prevented at many level of transmission. There are only 3 ways of transmission:

1. Sexual Intercourse – the most common transmission. Thus, many activist and volunteer promote the used of condom to reduce the transmission especially to multiple partner and free sex.
2. Blood exchange – in this group, the target population is injection drug user who are commonly share syringe. The transmission of HIV virus through blood transfusion is very minimal.
3. Vertical transmission – it means that mother to child transmission. The mother get infected, the child has very high risk to get HIV infection.

There are many ways to prevent us from the HIV transmission. But the awareness of prevention among people is minimal. Thus, World AIDS Day is used to be the medium of prevention of HIV transmission promotion.

On the other hands, there are also many of them get infected with HIV has problem with the community. There are not treated well in the community because most probably they are afraid of transmission which are only a myth. By this awareness day, we hope the community understand about the HIV and AIDS and they will change their perception towards HIV infected people.

Every year, WORLD AIDS DAY has a theme as their target. 2010 is the continuotion of the theme in 2009 which is Universal Access and Human Right.

Universal Access is the think that very important to reduce the number of HIV infected patients. Where were we? We should there for them.. otherwise, who else?

On World AIDS Day 2010, the global community is focusing attention on protecting human rights of all people affected by HIV.

Today, I call on all sectors to protect human rights, including the right to health, and to combat discrimination. Working with people living with HIV is critical for an effective HIV response and Member States need to be mindful of the commitments made in the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS to promote better legal and social environments for people to access HIV testing, prevention and  treatment.

WHO is firmly committed to the goal of achieving universal access to key HIV services. However, this will not be possible unless we make sure that the human rights of everyone, everywhere, are protected and promoted.

Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General

There are many sector already support the AIDS Day. Where we we now?

Eighty monuments around the world will turn red in support of the (RED) campaign's 2015 goal to have zero children born infected with HIV.

As evening sets in Sydney, Australia, the iconic Opera House will be illuminated in red with U2's Bono kicking off the campaign. Time zone by time zone, similarly significant attractions will turn red for just one night. From Table Mountain in South Africa and the London Eye in London to the Empire State Building in New York and LAX in LA, on Wednesday the world will see red as a symbol of hope that an end to the fight against AIDS is near.

Tonic.com

References:

1. World Health Organization website

2. www.AIDS.gov

-tHaNk yOu-