How Can Reducing Inequality End AIDS In The Coming Years?
- Health Lifestyle
Alessia Braun- 0
- 7 minutes read
AIDS is still one of the deadliest pandemics of modern times. There are inequalities around the world with AIDS and AIDS patients. But with the tools, knowledge, and reducing inequality through AIDS awareness, we can definitely end AIDS if we adequately address the inequalities that are driving the HIV pandemic. In this article, we will discuss how AIDS has been a great cause of inequality and how we can reduce it to end AIDS completely.
How Has AIDS Been A Cause Of Inequality?
There is not much of a cause for inequality in society for AIDS patients. The most important cause for creating inequality is the lack of knowledge. Yes, with no proper knowledge of the diseases, their transmission, and AIDS awareness people fear getting affected by the disease. The situation is sort of the same as the idioms go, “Rumor spreads faster than truth” and “Rumors are spread by fools and accepted by greater fools”.
Even, people are hardly aware of the differences between HIV and AIDS and are often panicked. Thus, it is clear that a lack of knowledge boosts inequality in addition to a lack of access to proper healthcare in some areas of the world. That said, AIDS awareness amongst communities is a must.
So, let us see how AIDS and HIV are different and how they spread.
What Is HIV? How Does It Spread?
HIV is the abbreviated term for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is not a disease but a virus that when enters the human body, slowly weakens the immunity system of the individual. This leads to AIDS if HIV remains undetected for long and proper treatment is not carried out on time. Unlike some viruses, the human body is unable to get rid of HIV completely even with appropriate treatment. However, it can be suppressed for a long time before it turns into AIDS. That said, you need to remember that once an individual has been infected by the HIV virus, it will stay for life.
The following are the ways in which the HIV virus is transmitted:
- From a mother to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
- Having unprotected sex.
- Sharing infected needles or other sharp instruments.
- Transmission/transfusion of infected blood.
What Is AIDS? How Does It Spread?
AIDS full form is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is considered to be severe or the last phase of HIV infection. In this stage, the affected individual possesses a completely damaged immune system. Their body cannot resist the entry of other viruses and thus they are more prone to getting affected by several other diseases. These diseases are combinedly termed opportunistic infections. That said, AIDS is a clinical condition and not a virus and hence it is not transmitted among the masses.
By now, the medications and treatments for HIV and AIDS have seen a revolutionary side and there is no death sentence for the patients. Patients with AIDS can have a normal life like others. There are over 25 drugs available that are approved to treat HIV-infected patients. These drugs are known as antiretroviral drugs. These are a combination of medications collectively known as antiretroviral therapy (ART).
How Can We Start Reducing Inequality And End AIDS?
The inequalities that continue the AIDS pandemic are not inevitable. We can definitely tackle them and one of the major steps is by reducing inequality. The slogan “Equalize” is a significant call to action for AIDS prevention. It is a prompt for all human beings to work for the proven practical actions that are required to address inequalities and help end diseases like AIDS. The actions include the following:
- Increasing the availability, sustainability, and quality of services for HIV treatment, testing, and prevention so that all are well-served.
- Reforming laws, policies as well as practices for tackling the stigma and AIDS prevention.
- Exclusion faced by HIV-infected individuals. Everyone must be shown respect and welcomed heartily.
- Ensuring sharing of technology for enabling equal access to the best HIV science between the communities.
- Help communities to make use of as well as adapt the “Equalize” message and engage in AIDS Prevention.
- Highlighting the particular inequalities AIDS patients face and calling for all the actions required to address them with care.
Conclusion
AIDS and HIV are detrimental to human beings as to the infected individuals. Their immune system is highly affected and leads to various diseases making them weaker. Owing to a lack of adequate knowledge and less access to proper healthcare in various parts of the world, AIDS patients undergo discrimination. These things are not letting AIDS end completely. Thus, we need to address these issues and take steps in reducing inequality to end AIDS. On this World AIDS Day, let’s move towards AIDS prevention and take initiative to “Reduce Inequality, End AIDS” by spreading AIDS awareness.
