AIDS Afflicted Have The Right To live!
Each year, on December 1, the world celebrates International AIDS Day, a day dedicated to creating awareness about the hazardous AIDS epidemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. The day also works to generate money to fight HIV and help underprivileged patients suffering from AIDS. This day also fights against prejudice and the social stigma that AIDS patients usually have to undergo. AIDS Day is supported by WHO which teaches the people about the symptoms and the medication necessary to root out the disease. AIDS Day urges citizens to live a healthy life by using preventive measures to avoid AIDS. In addition, to be on the safer side, one must keep a check on HIV infection status through testing, treatment and care services.
Though an AIDS patient can live a normal life, but the social stigma attached to the disease has made it such a curse that many patients do not visit the hospital for fear of society. Remember, AIDS patients, like us, are normal human beings and have the right to live! So, every individual must accept AIDS patients with love and compassion.
What is important is to understand that HIV does not spread by contact or through saliva. Scientists also have found no evidence that HIV is spread through sweat, tears, urine, or faeces. HIV is also not spread through casual contacts such as the sharing of food utensils, towels and bedding, swimming pools, telephones or toilet seats. Thus, the harsh stance of society to discard AIDS patients from society is a cruel practice as it kills them even before the AIDS virus kills them!
What is most stupid and deplorable is that, despite knowing the horrors of AIDS, people in India continue to have sexual relations without taking preventive measures. Ironically, sex without prevention is the key to the spread of AIDS disease. The other major sources of HIV infection are men having sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDU), migrant workers and their wives, pregnant women tested at ante-natal clinics and female sex workers.
Experts feel the need of the hour is to reach out to the people living in villages and slums and openly speak with them about sex though sex is still a taboo subject among the lower middle class.
On this AIDS Day, Home Times urges people to educate themselves about HIV. Today, lots of people suffering from HIV are living a normal life. People must open up about their disease to their near and dear ones and not keep silent. So, fight AIDS and remember every AIDS person has the right to live like any normal person.
