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AIDS
(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a medical condition that is caused by
a virus called HIV (Human
Immunodeficiency Virus). A person is diagnosed with AIDS when their immune
system is too weak to fight off infections. HIV
is found in the body fluids of an infected person (semen and vaginal fluids,
blood and breast milk). The virus is passed from one person to another through
blood-to-blood and sexual contact. In addition, infected pregnant women can
pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy, delivering the baby during
childbirth, and through breast feeding. Sometimes, there are many misconceptions about HIV and AIDS. The virus cannot be transmitted from shaking hands, hugging, kissing, sneezing, using the same toilet, sharing towels, etc.
Many
people think that there is a vaccine or “cure” for AIDS. However, there is still no cure for AIDS. The
only way to ensure that you avoid AIDS is to be aware of how to prevent HIV
infection. There are some steps to prevent the spread of HIV infection. They
are: not doing free sex, not sharing needles or syringes and propering
education by promoting the effect and the risk of AIDS in the society.
First,
by not doing free sex. Having
sex with many partners can put a person at risk of being infected with HIV and
other sexually transmitted
infections (gonorrhea, syphilis,
etc). HIV can be spread by having unprotected sex. So, do sex only with your
monogamous partnership in which both members are uninfected. According to Ministry
of Health of China, UNAIDS, WHO. 2005, 43.6% of total HIV/AIDS cases, 19.6% of
it caused by having free sex.
Second,
by not sharing needles or syringes. Needle is the tool that may spread HIV, the
virus of AIDS. If we use HIV-contaminated needles, certainly we will be
infected with that virus. It’s difficult for us to know whether the needles we
used from the other people are contaminated or no. In Northeast India,
injecting drug use using needles is the major route of HIV transmission .
Manipur, a small state in Northeast India with a population of about 2.3
million, is among the Indian states with the highest HIV prevalence. The
cumulative number of HIV-positive cases reported in Manipur from the start of
the epidemic to May 2008 was 29,602 cases; of these, 42.1% were categorized as
having contracted HIV through injecting drug use by sharing needles.So, it will
be more saved if we use new needles.Many communities now have needle exchange
programs, where you can get rid of used syringes and get new, the sterile ones.
Third,
by propering education by promoting the effect and the risk of AIDS in the
society. One of the major problems with the spread of HIV and AIDS is the fact
that people are not informed. Schools should implement this subject or area to
create awareness among us. In Muhammaddiyah university, there is PIKMA YOUTH
CENTRE which stand for centre of information and counseling for students. It’s
very useful for students who want to know about health education or even want
to get the solution from your secret problems.
As
we know that there are many weird disease such as AIDS, we should be aware of
our health to prevent that illness by not doing free sex, not sharing needles
or syringes, and propering education by promoting the effect and the risk of
AIDS to societies. We must know all the details about AIDS and what are the
effects of AIDS.