World AIDS Day was established by the World Health Organization in 1988. World AIDS Day is dedicated to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.
What Does "AIDS" Mean?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: · Acquired means you can get infected with it. · Immune Deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases. · Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease. AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. If you get infected with HIV, your body will try to fight the infection. It will make "antibodies" -- special molecules to fight HIV. A blood test for HIV looks for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection. People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." Being HIV-positive, or having the HIV disease, is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV-positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These are called "opportunistic infections." How Do You Get AIDS?
You don't actually "get" AIDS. You might get infected with HIV, and later you might develop AIDS. You can get infected with HIV from anyone who's infected, even if they don't look sick and even if they haven't tested HIV-positive yet. The blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk of people infected with HIV has enough of the virus in it to infect other people. Most people get the HIV virus by: · having sex with an infected person; · sharing a needle with someone who's infected; · being born when their mother is infected, or drinking the breast milk of an infected woman. Getting a transfusion of infected blood used to be a way people got AIDS, but now the blood supply is screened very carefully and the risk is extremely low. There are no documented cases of HIV being transmitted by tears or saliva, but it is possible to be infected with HIV through oral sex or in rare cases through deep kissing, especially if you have open sores in your mouth or bleeding gums. For more information, see www.thebody.com HIV situation in Pakistan
Currently classified by WHO/UNAIDS as a high-risk country for the spread of HIV infection, Pakistan has recently witnessed changes in the epidemiological trends of the disease owing particularly to rapid rise in infection among injecting drug users. According to UNAIDS estimates, some 70,000 to 80,000 persons, or 0.1 percent of the adult population in Pakistan, are infected with HIV although cases reported to the National AIDS Control Programme are less. As in many countries, the numbers may be underreported -- mainly due to the social stigma attached to the infection, limited surveillance and voluntary counseling and testing systems, as well as the lack of knowledge among the general population and health practitioners. Data analysis indicates that most infections occur between ages of 20-44 years, with men outnumbering females by a ratio 5:1. The trends are closely similar to other countries affected by HIV/AIDS.
By September 2003, sexual transmission accounted for the majority of reported cases (67.48%). Other modes of transmission included: infection through contaminated blood and blood products (6.99%); injecting drug abuse (0.82%); and mother to child transmission (3%). The mode of transmission remains unknown in 20% of reported cases most probably due to stigma and lack of awareness. Estimates
Figures & Value Estimated Number of HIV cases (Adults and children) 85,000 Adults (15-49 years) 84,000 Women (15-49) 14,000 Children:
Estimated number of deaths due to AIDS 3000 Estimated Number of AIDS orphans ---- Source UNAIDS Global AIDS Report 2006 Year 2005 For more Information, see www.youandaids.org
The Eleven Elements of Successful HIV and AIDS Prevention Programs:
Although every prevention program is unique, research reveals that successful programs have specific strategies and practices in common. This section of reviews the 11 elements of successful HIV prevention programs, explains the ideal continuum of prevention and treatment successful prevention programs can strive toward, and provides links to more information about HIV and AIDS prevention. Effective HIV prevention programs are comprehensive and science-based. Following are the specific elements required for HIV prevention to work: - An effective community planning process
- Epidemiological and behavioral surveillance; compilation of other health and demographic data relevant to HIV risks, incidence, or prevalence (Read more about HIV Surveillance and Data Management)
- HIV counseling, testing, and referral, and partner counseling and referral, with strong linkages to medical care, treatment, and prevention services (Read more about HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral)
- Health education and risk reduction activities, including individual-, group-, and community-level interventions (Read more about HIV Education and Outreach)
- Accessible diagnosis and treatment of other STDs (Read more about HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral)
- Public information and education programs
- Comprehensive school health programs (Read more about HIV Education and Outreach)
- Training and quality assurance
- HIV prevention capacity-building activities
- An HIV prevention technical assistance assessment and plan
- Evaluation of major program activities, interventions, and services
- Government Policy Measures - An effective response requires strategic planning based on good quality science and surveillance, as well as consideration of local society and culture. All sectors of the population should be actively involved in the response, including employers, religious groups, non-governmental organizations and HIV-positive people. Many of the world's most successful HIV prevention efforts have been led by the affected communities themselves.
For more information, see www.aidspnac.org and www.avert.org
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