HIV Advocates Urge Women To Make Fight Against HIV A Personal Commitment

HIV is still a huge issue for women. The numbers are still frightening – women still account for 20 percent of all new HIV infections while African-American women account for roughly two thirds of this population. Although the overall number of HIV infections is down, what’s alarming is that a staggering 84 percent of new female HIV infections are actually attributed to heterosexual sex. This is a statistic that everyone should be aware of and should know how to properly address.

 

This is also the very statistic that drives HIV Advocates to urge women to continue the fight against HIV. In fact, the group urges women to make the fight a part of their personal, individual commitment. Women should not only discuss these alarming facts among friends and family, they should also advocate governments to listen up and take notice.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Susan Blumenthal, amfAR Senior Policy and Medical Advisor, has said it: the key to reducing HIV infections among women is advocating for healthcare public policy changes. This means that unless people remain uninsured, unaware of the risks and unable to receive proper HIV care, then the figures will rise.

 

According to Dr. Blumenthal, among the public policy changes “are ensuring women are adequately represented in clinical trial research; developing prevention technologies specifically for women; doing interventions for women facing HIV as a result of violence; increasing access to women’s reproductive healthcare; and advocating for Medicaid expansions.”

 

The challenge now is: how do you get involved in the fight? Simple: join HIV Advocates, a global initiative to share news, experiences, strategies as well as new tools that aim to energize human rights movements and communities fighting HIV/AIDS.

Join HIV Advocates today and be an ally in the fight against the disease.

 

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HIV Advocates Reiterates The Need To Get Tested

 

If there is one thing that people should never ever think of is that it is next to impossible for them to get infected with HIV. Truth is, even people in their 60’s still get infected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take the case of Jo Josh, a 66 year old woman who lives in Reigate and who has a 25 year old daughter. She is a woman living with HIV. The news first came as a shock to her and it took her years to learn how to deal with the reality of it all. Another case is that of Wales resident 58 year old Steve Craftman. He was diagnosed in 1987. In his own words, “I have done a lot of grieving.” He and his partner had to move to a tiny town just to escape the threats and abuse. A third example is 33 year old Lizzie Jordan. The mother of a 10 year old lost her partner, who also happened to be the father of her child, on the fourth day since he came home feeling unwell.

 

HIV truly does not choose its victims. Practically everyone is vulnerable to it, to its risks and even to the effects of living with it. People living with HIV oftentimes do not know that they carry the disease. They are also subjected to societal violence, stigma and abuse.

 

These are the issues and concerns that HIV Advocates want to bring people’s attention to. It is high time for everyone to get tested. Before you think that there is virtually no way for you to get infected, get tested!

 

Join HIV Advocates today and be an ally in the fight against the disease.

 

HIV Advocates, an initiative supported by Levi Strauss Foundation and powered by B-Change Foundation, encourages members of the LGBT community to speak up by exploring the power of social media. Through the HIV Advocates’ online channels, the LGBT community and other stakeholders can start conversations, spark the interest of the public, come up with various plans of action and continue with information dissemination to fight HIV and the stigma that comes with it.

 

Like HIV Advocates on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HIVadvocates  

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/HIVadvocates

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The link between HIV transmission and the war on drugs

In New York, one in seven persons who use drugs is living with HIV. 30% to 40% of these these users still share needles, leading to an increased exposure to HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa, one-third of all new HIV infections happen to people using injection-drug.

The link here? Repressive law enforcement activities by United States, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, among others. Nations with the most aggressive drug policies report terrifying infection rates amongst people who use drugs.

In fear of recrimination, they are prevented from seeking clean needles. When infected, they are further driven away from available health services and treatments and are instead increasingly mired in unsafe practices that increase the risk of infection. Such a vicious cycle makes HIV more prevalent than it should be in even the most developed countries and in certain regions.

Instead of criminalising drug users, the focus should move towards prevention and treatment. Government should encourage people who use drugs – as well as others who are at risk – to come forward for treatment. Such measure are proven to be far economical than to reinstate policies that aim to threaten those faced with drug addiction.

Concerted effort should be made to advocate AIDS prevention message. As the sayings goes, “prevention is better than cure”, resources used to criminalise people who use drugs can be better placed towards community education and outreach programme.

In place of fear, the voice of authority should be sown with empathy, support and positivity. Everyone has a right to health, even people who use drugs. The ongoing war on drugs deters us further to truly put an end to AIDS and therefore shall be put to an end, too.

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