World Aids Day

[Shadowhunter]

So World Aids Day is tomorrow. What do you think about this? Have you attended any seminars or info conventions on this topic? Have you/would you get tested or encourage others to do the same? What do you think about the progress that has been made with regards to this disease? What do you think should change or be added to existing information awareness?


To answer:
I've had guests come in school when I was a student to discuss HIV and AIDS as well as science teachers briefly cover the subject and I attended a World Aids Day convention type thing years agol. I've tested myself twice and I encourage everyone to get tested whether or not they're sexually active as most people attach a sexual stigma to it and overlook causes such as dirty needles (blood transfusions, injections, tattoos, etc), hereditary (mother to child through the placenta during delivery), or accidents and the like. I think we've come a long way towards getting over a lot of the stigma attached to AIDS. When I first learned about it in school the two causes we were told for HIV were homosexual sex and dirty needles for drugs or tattoos.

Volunteers in hospitals avoided the wards where HIV/AIDS patients were kept because they thought it was airborne. Years later, they thought it was caused by any physical contact from any LGBT person or anyone in close relations with an infected person. Now I believe there are more people helping victims and their families and correctly informing others about both diseases. I think a huge step forward would be to make sex education more available, with emphasis on venereal diseases and contraception. Also, to ensure that all health care facilities, public or private (really any facility that uses needles etc) are monitored and regulated to ensure proper hygiene. I doubt much people think twice about where a drips/injection/transfusion needle comes from, even in third world countries like ours. Importance should be placed on making patients look out for physicians, nurses etc opening sealed new packs of needles in front of them each and every time. Even good tattoo parlors ensure that their client sees them opening a new razor and needle. What do you think?

 

[Steven Ramadar]

Its a scary thing to think about. You may have it and never know til something goes wrong. Fun fact, there has been more than 6 cases where people got AIDS from the dentist. I've always wanted a tattoo but this whole AIDS thing is a strong deterrent

 

[Shadowhunter]

That's a scary fact! Just check out a few places, see where people recommend. A reputable place should have no problem if you come one day to look around and see how they operate with other customers. They should ask for the client's input and make sure they are comfortable with every aspect of the process and show them new unopened razors and needles when they're ready to start setting the ink and only open it in front of them and set the machine up as they watch right before starting. When they put the razor or needle down, it should be on a sanitary unopened gauze napkin on a clean, clear surface in front of the client each time. When it's done, they should dress the spot with clean, sterile gauze from an unopened pack that's opened in front of the client and advise them from there accordingly as well as encourage the client to come back so they can check on it and give touch ups if necessary. Once you find somewhere like that, you're good to go.

 

[MangaAddict]

I've heard of instances where people inject other people with the virus in crowded clubs. I don't know how true this is, but with all the nasty minded people out there, I wont doubt it.

 

[Shadowhunter]

Yikes! And I thought the worst was people intentionally passing it on to others through sex without revealing their illness or using contraception. Just when you think things can't get any worse......

 

[Steven Ramadar]

There's that and people cutting themselves with razor blades and then cutting other people

 

[Shadowhunter]

I hadn't heard of that either. I actually did the "blood brothers" thing with a friend in primary school when I was about 9 or so. When I started learning about HIV and AIDS I was terrified I had it because of that. A lot of people laughed at me but honestly, there are probably kids out there who have the disease whether from birth, unsanitary medical practices etc without knowing it and any exchange of blood, regardless of how innocent, carries the risk once one or both parties are untested or otherwise unaware.

At least nowadays it's standard for all pregnant women to be tested as soon as their first OB-GYN appointment so if there is a positive result, medication and certain steps and treatment can be put in place to reduce the chances of the child contracting the illness. But I think it should be standard for everyone to be tested, just as it is standard for certain immunizations.