| News Details |
| WORLD AIDS DAY-2015:“Getting to Zero, Zero new infections, zero discrimination | | zero AIDS-related deaths” |
Jammu, November 30 (Scoop News)-World AIDS Day designated 1st December every year since 1988 is dedicated to raise awareness about AIDS one of the world’s most destructive pandemics in the history.
The day is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS to show our support for people living with the HIV and to remember those who have fallen prey to this deadly disease.
“Getting to Zero” is the theme selected by the World AIDS campaign (WAC) to commemorate World AIDS Day from the year 2011-15 echoes the UNAIDS vision of achieving “ Zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS- related deaths.
Globally an estimated 33.3 million people have HIV. In India around 2.3 million people have HIV while 35 million people have died from the virus worldwide.
Today, many scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. But despite this, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from HIV, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV. World AIDS Day is important as it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.
World AIDS Day is an opportunity for us to learn the facts about HIV and put our knowledge into action. If we understand how HIV is transmitted, how it can be prevented, and the reality of living with HIV today – we can use this knowledge to take care of our own health and the health of others, and ensure we treat everyone living with HIV fairly, and with respect and understanding.
The Five Year Theme for World AIDS Day (2011-15) is
“Getting to Zero - Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths”.
This theme is backed by the United Nations “Getting to Zero” campaign and runs until 2015. It builds on initiatives encompassing a range of vital issues identified by key affected populations.
The overall WAD concept/overarching theme for five years will be “Getting to Zero” (till 2015) with the understanding that different groups and regions will focus on a zero which is most relevant to them.
Zero AIDS-related Deaths signifies the need to push for access to treatment for everyone as a fundamental human right to health and access, not only for free or affordable medication but also for food which is needed to take the medication.
Zero New Infections signifies the need to start talking more about the multiple partner syndrome which we continue to glorify and boast of – but in reality it is almost suicidal behaviour. We need to value ourselves and our loved ones enough to love, protect and respect them for following safer sexual practices.”
Zero Stigma and Discrimination are important as Stigma and Discrimination (S and D) and continue to be the twin handicaps to all the work being done to halt the spread of HIV. We still judge people living with HIV and many still feel the piercing effects of Stigma and Discrimination which can be more painful than HIV itself.
In the State under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP): J&K State AIDS Prevention and Control Society has established 36 ICTCs, 26 Blood Banks & 06 STD Clinics at regional and district hospitals. The number of voluntary attendees in these centres has increased manifold since the inception of JKSACS. Two ART centres at GMC, Jammu and SKIMS, Srinagar and four link ART centres (Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri and Leh) are functional in J&K and providing counseling, testing and treatment services to public. At present 1770 patients are receiving ART, including 124 children.
They are also implementing 17 Targetted Intervention Projects (TIs) for core groups in the State. The projects are being implemented by NGOs through provision of Behavioral Change Communication (peer education), STD Control and Condom Promotion.
Two OST (Opioid Substitution Therapy) centres are also functional in Psychiatry Diseases Hospital Jammu/Srinagar for helping IDUs to shift from intravenous to oral and subsequently tapering them off the medicine.
In addition to above IEC is also being used as a tool to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS among the masses through various media available.
The Social Stigma, prejudice and discrimination meted out to these patients needs to be changed with increased awareness and improved education. It’s incumbent on all of us, individuals government and civil society to engage in meaningful and effective collaboration to achieve success in our endeavors to achieve our goals.
We all can also show your support for people living with HIV on World AIDS Day by wearing a red ribbon the international symbol of HIV awareness.
Monetary, Social and psychological help can go a long way in strengthening the mission and lending a support to the people who are usually left in isolation.
... |
| |
|
|
Share this Story |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|