Even after 44 years of first four HIV cases were reported in New York and the first 10 AIDS cases were reported in India in 1986 even today India is the second country in the world with the highest infections after South Africa. Hence there is a need for observation of World AIDS Day to increase awareness in the public and in the target groups. World Health Organization lamented that in the world out of 39.9million people HIV positive, around 77% are only taking ART Though the Government of India and the Government of Andhra Pradesh have been supplying free ART (Anti-retroviral therapy) 50 % of the total infected are not regularly using ART in Andhra Pradesh. Among youth within the age of 18-30 years, it is reported that taking alcohol and intravenous drugs, using here in, opium, and participating in sharing a sex partner is an emerging threat for HIV spread. In this group, four or five young guys book a girl, by paying money and enjoying sex in which if one is HIV positive can spread to the entire group. Condom use is falling compared to the previous decade by 10-15% as per new study in which the young people said that the condom is an obstruction for perceiving the ultimate joy of sex.
The theme for World AIDS Day 2024 is “Take the Rights Path”, in other words, “Collective Action Sustain and Accelerate HIV progress” highlighting the critical role of protecting and promoting human rights in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic while collective action to prevent the HIV/AIDS growth.
World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1, is a global event dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, commemorating those who have lost their lives to the disease, and supporting people living with HIV. It is also a day to emphasize the ongoing efforts to eliminate the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and to advocate for access to prevention, treatment, and care services worldwide.
It aims to educate people about the modes of HIV transmission, prevention methods, and available treatments. It further stresses that HIV is no longer a death sentence with proper medical intervention and lifestyle adjustments. Now it is a chronic manageable disease just like diabetes, hypertension, or epilepsy. The stigma of killing more people than AIDS disease is coming down gradually which is a good sign.
Encouraging testing and prevention
Not only on World AIDS Day but throughout the year social workers, doctors, political leaders, celebrities from film media like Mr. Amithab Batchan, Tollywood stars like Mr. Chiranjeevi (Megastar), Mr. Nandamuri Bala Krishna Prince Mr. Mahesh Babu, Bahubali fame Mr. Prabhas, Maga Dheera fame Mr. Ram Charan, Jr. NTR, Pushpa fame Mr. Allu Arjun, Heroin’s like Aishwarya Rai, Thamanna, Samantha and others should highlight the importance of regular HIV testing and the use of preventive measures such as male condoms, female condom, vaginal rings, antiretroviral therapy (ART), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and PEP post-exposure prophylaxis in addition to lead ethical and moral living.
The government not only on World AIDS Day but periodically should organize HIV awareness programs for migrant workers, building construction workers, college youth, and rural youth and they have to be sensitized on safe sex, safe needles, safe blood, and safe parenthood. The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS the political, social, cultural, and structural inequalities, disparities and disregard for human rights are fueling AIDS transmission. Every HIV/AIDS patient should have access to high-quality HIV treatment and the desired respect to end HIV according to UNAIDS by 2030.
Urge to Keep HIV/AIDS in AROGYASRI
The principal treatment for HIV/AIDS today is highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). They suppress the virus and slow its progression in the body even they can suppress virus to undetectable levels in many cases. ART can add many healthy, productive years to a person’s life and reduce the risk of transmission to others.
Inner Sydney, Australia has reduced new HIV acquisitions by 88%, meaning it may be the first locality in the world to reach the UN target to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. HIV transmission was virtually eliminated in inner Sydney. New evidence that Australia may become the world’s first nation to end the HIV epidemic.
However, when HIV-positive people delay in taking ART and CD-4 cell count comes down below 100 cells per cubic millimeter, severe opportunistic infections such as TB meningitis, cryptococcal infection, Toxoplasmosis, and cytomegalic virus affecting the eyes and many young people in the age group of 25-40 years are becoming blind or partially blind. In some other cases on irregular treatment of ART results in Heart Attacks and strokes and dying prematurely.
Therefore, I urge to Government of India / Andhra Pradesh to include AIDS in Arogya Sri on par with dengue patients Malaria patients and other ailments such as Heart attacks and kidney diseases.
