One of the pressing issues of public health is regarding the spread of HIV or AIDS. This communicable disease is a hot topic today because part of the reason why it continues to spread is because a lot of the people carrying HIV are not even aware that they are. According to statistics, out of the 35 million people who are infected with HIV, 50% are not yet aware that they are HIV positive. The risk of infecting more and more people increases as those people who are unaware that they are HIV positive can continue to pass it on to others.
The spread of HIV is affected by economic factors. The HIV cases are mostly concentrated in less developed countries like in the subSaharan Africa due to people’s lack in knowledge about the disease as well as in ways of preventing it. There is also a lack in access to productive resources. The lack in government intervention in these areas of high HIV cases are also a factor in the spread of the disease. HIV cases are also affected by cultural norms such as the economic dependence of women on men. In countries where this is the norm, it is found that women are more vulnerable than men in acquiring HIV. Lastly, the spread of HIV is affected by individual liberty such as a person’s choice of having multiple sexual partners.
With the growing awareness regarding this health problem and the advancements in technology, HIV cases will be significantly reduced. The next 30 years will be crucial for the management and eradication of this disease. UNAIDS announced last 2014 that they are targeting to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. They are already on full gear to reach their fast-track targets . To manage this health issue in the long run, the health sector should join force with other sectors and organizations such as the education sector. When a generation of aware and knowledgeable people are achieved, the rate of the increase in HIV cases will be tremendously decreased. With the efforts to provide treatments for those who already have HIV, the battle against this health issue will surely be won.
References
UNAIDS. (2014). UNAIDS reports that reaching Fast-Track Targets will avert nearly 28 million new HIV infections and end the AIDS epidemic as a global health threat by 2030. Retrieved from http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2014/november/20141118_PR_WAD2014report
