December 1st is Worlds AIDS Day! Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. Go out and get tested today and support the various AIDS awareness events is your area.
What is HIV?
HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system - the body’s defense against diseases.
Are HIV and AIDS the same?
No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.
How is HIV passed on?
HIV can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk.
The most common ways HIV is passed on are:
* Sex without a condom with someone living with HIV
* Sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment
* From an HIV-positive mother (to her child) during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding (but with effective treatment and care the risk of transmission can be greatly reduced)
Is there a cure for HIV?
No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life, although they may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment may be less effective.
How can I protect myself and others from HIV infection?
Always use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. You also may want to use a condom or dental dam during oral sex although the risk of transmission of HIV is much lower. You can get free condoms from a sexual health clinic. Never share needles, syringes or any other injecting equipment.
Statistics
• According to UNAIDS statistics, an estimated 33.4 million people are living with HIV. Among these 2.5 million are children.
• Sadly, one out of three people escape diagnosis of the condition.
• More than half of infected people are in the prime of their youth. Statistics also point out that they do not survive beyond 10 years after diagnosis.
• In India, there are about 2.5 million HIV+ individuals of whom 1.7 lakh are in the state of Tamilnadu.
• Mortality due to AIDS stands at a staggering 2.1 million people worldwide. Among the dead, 330,000 are children.
• According to a voluntary service group, women and girls in the third world are disproportionately victimized by HIV/AIDS because they face consistent discrimination.
• Alarming statistics in China have shown 60% female sex workers do not use condoms with clients.
• Number of people living with HIV is up 20%
• AIDS prevention programs have certainly brought down the rate of new infections by 17% in a span of eight years, yet the number of people living with the infection is up 20%.
Sources:
www.avert.org/world-aids-day.htm
http://www.medindia.net/news/healthinfocus/World-AIDS-Day-2009
http://www.unaids.org/
Keep the Faith!
Until next time,
~E
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