Introduction
Even though there is a rapid advancement in medical inventions, still the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the most challenging virus that will drag the human lives to the deadly disease acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It spreads its wings all over. HIV cannot be cured, but it can be prevented. It has become the greatest life threatening disease and affects unbelievably high percent of human beings. Nowadays, besides other deadly diseases, HIV/AIDS becomes more complex and crucial health issue that challenges several medical inventions. Several contributors cause this deadly virus and disease such as promiscuity, homosexuality, female circumcision, sugar daddies, sexual crime, rape, prostitution, cultural practices, misconception, ignorance and denial, and increase in mobility and industrialization. If there is a problem, then there will always be a solution. However, the major solution for HIV/AIDS infection is nothing but prevention. It can be treated that will extend the duration of the HIV affected person, but cannot be cured. By the year 2013, UNAIDS has presented a report that shows 35.7 million adults and 2.1 million children are surviving with HIV. Third world countries become victims of this deadly disease due to ignorance, lack education, poverty, cultural practices, and status of women (Timberg, 2012). Shockingly, developing countries have the 95 percent of HIV infected population. This widespread health issue affects especially women due to their status in the many third world countries. In these countries, women lack education, awareness, and equal status with men, as they were placed in a physically and emotionally weak position in the social hierarchy. If a woman is infected with HIV, her child will be at the risk of getting it. This paper discusses the possible contributors and solutions to the global spread of HIV/AIDS.
Possible Contributors to the Spread of HIV/AIDS
As AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease, promiscuity is one of the contributors that cause HIV/AIDS. It is mutually related to AIDS in Africa and the United States. It becomes common in many traditional African societies that are accepted by society (Dlach, 2006). Sub-Saharan Africa leads top position among other countries in having an HIV-infected population. The pathetic condition of Africa is due to promiscuity and their casual attitudes toward sex. Sexual promiscuity and AIDS are closely correlated, as promiscuity becomes the major reason for the transmission of this deadly virus. Several sexual practices people have may increase the risk of infection of HIV/AIDS for example homosexuality. Even though homosexuality does not have anything with the traditional aspects, it exists in places where few women are present and in situations where authoritative male can have an advantage over the other males. Homosexuality prevails in many parts of the world that may lead to the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Sugar daddies contribute more in the act of spreading HIV. As per a study in the British, young girls are the victims who are infected with HIV because of these sugar daddies who date with the young girls and support monetarily. Many poverty-stricken countries such as Africa and South East Asia are the target of these sugar daddies who can win girls for money.
Sexual crimes, rape, and prostitution are the contributors who can easily transmit this deadly disease, as HIV/AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease. U.N. agency reports that one in five deaths among women between the ages of 15 and 44 is linked to unsafe sex (3). In many male-dominated societies, women are considered as sex machines that make them victims of HIV. In the movie “Human Trafficking,” men victimized the three women for none of their mistake. Their struggle portrays the condition of women not only in New York, but also in the whole world. They were forced into their fate that have driven away their life. The WHO rightly said, “The AIDS virus is the leading cause of death and disease among women between the ages of 15 and 44” (3). The core reason for the survival of this deadly virus is unsafe sex. However, many people due to ignorance, poverty, and culture cannot realize it. In many third world countries, women and girls are uneducated and undervalued due to male-dominated society, cultural aspects, and poor status. Cultural practices of many African societies promote people to have many sex affairs in the name of tradition that drastically affects the health of the population and transmits sexually transmitted diseases, especially AIDS. For example, Igbo people of Africa have the tradition of man marrying many women, as women are considered as possessions. Such practices become the major causes for the transmission of diseases. Cultural practices such as tattooing, group circumcision, and scarification are also the contributors to spread HIV/AIDS globally.
In many culture-based countries such as China and India, HIV-infected person will not be accepted by the society, and testing is not possible because it may affect their goodwill. Misconceptions about the transmission of HIV/AIDS such as the sharing of food and touching prevail in every part of the world. These beliefs and misconceptions contribute more in spreading HIV. Due to these factors, the prevalence of the disease cannot be found sometimes that may lead to the transmission of the virus due to lack of knowledge and denial. Increase in industrialization and mobility has a direct link with the spreading of HIV. A study has found that heavy truck drivers who travel long distance become a contributor to the spread of HIV because of their unsafe sex (Mishra, 1996). Likewise, many workers who migrate to other places for business and work may have the possibility of spreading HIV by having several sexual partners. The origin of this disease may come from animals (monkey), but human trafficking takes the key contribution to spreading the transmission of HIV/AIDS all over. The TV miniseries “Human Trafficking” clearly portrays the picture of the three girls who met their fate when they were migrated to some other place for living. This series brings forth the struggle of women in the name of sex trafficking and immigration. The story of the film mirrors the reality that is prevalent in our society. In an interview of Customs Agent Bill Meehan in the movie, he tells “An ounce of cocaine, wholesale $1200. But you can only sell it once. A woman, or a child, $50 to $1000, but you can sell them each day, every day, over and over and over again. The markup is immeasurable. Human trafficking, ladies and gentlemen, is the business of the future for crime organization” (Kurtis, “Human Trafficking”). This dialogue from the movie “Human Trafficking” serves as an evidence to get a clear view about the human trafficking and its effect in the society.
Solutions
As there is no medicine to cure this deadly disease, the scientist and medical practitioners have found all the ways through which this virus can be transmitted. Thus, it helps many to be careful while facing such situations. Prevention is better than cure, as HIV/AIDS cannot be cured. There are solutions that can bring vital change in the effort to stop the spread of the virus that drinks many human lives. People must get wide exposure about the transmission of HIV/AIDS and overcome the denial to face the social taboos that can help people survive healthy (Evian, 2006). The leaders of various societies, especially community and religious leaders should take initiative and encourage people to understand the thing that sharing sexual issues is a fundamental aspect of the safe living. People must let the HIV-infected people to live their life with acceptance and understanding and should not marginalize them for their health issue. There should be a drastic change in gender relations, as the unequal status of women in many societies makes them victims of sexual crimes, rape, prostitution, and HIV/AIDS. To fight this epidemic, the support from all sides is needed to stop the spread of the virus. Above all, people should get wide awareness about the virus HIV, disease AIDS, and its transmission that is essential for the life of human to escape for this deadly disease. Government of the third world countries should concentrate more on these issues and take remedial actions to save their nation that may help the human community overall. If circumstances do not allow them to take preventive measure, they can get help from the developed countries because HIV is the global threat nowadays, and it is the duty of every human to save human life from this deadly disease HIV/AIDS. The most important services are to providing condoms, educating poor and uneducated about the cruelty of this disease, and providing voluntary HIV check up and counseling that are necessary for the third world countries to save human lives.
Conclusion
HIV/AIDS bases its roots strongly in the body of human that are drinking the human lives enormously. Some genius has to born to find medicine to cure AIDS. However, the world cannot wait so long; therefore, people have to be cautious and vigilant that can help human society to stop the spread of HIV to some extent. The HIV-infected person should be fed up with their end. They can live up to 9 to 10 without getting any treatment. Even they can do wonders and become successful in life rather than the other human being who leads normally. They have to be treated as if people treat others who suffer from cancer or some other deadly disease. It has become the greatest life threatening disease and affects unbelievably high percent of human beings. Nowadays, besides other deadly diseases, HIV/AIDS becomes more complex and crucial health issue that challenges several medical inventions. Many studies have proved that HIV-infected people can also lead their life normally with proper medications. Women should get the respect and equal status in the society that can stop crimes, violence, and injustice against women. Over 90 percent of HIV-infected child is born to a mother who is HIV positive. Therefore, it is essential to take care about the health and have safe sex to save our earth for the deadly disease called HIV/AIDS.
References
Timberg, C., & Halperin, D. (2012). Tinderbox: how the West sparked the AIDS epidemic and how the world can finally overcome it. New York: Penguin Press.
Duguay, C. (Director). (2006). Human Trafficking. USA: Christal Films.
Evian, C. (2006). Primary HIV/AIDS care: a practical guide for primary health care personnel in a clinical and supportive setting (Updated 4th ed.). Houghton (South Africa): Jacana.
Dlach, A. (2006). Witches, Westerners, and HIV AIDS & cultures of blame in Africa. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press.
Mishra, S. I. (1996). AIDS crossing borders: the spread of HIV among migrant Latinos. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press.
