HIV/AIDS is more than figures
- Submitted by: admin
- Pinar del Río
- Health and Medicine
- 11 / 04 / 2007
At the end of September, Pinar del Rio has added 39 infected people to the sad list of infected with AIDS, caused by the Human Inmunodefiency Virus (HIV).
Up to that date last year, the HIV-positives were 25, but the thing is not to compare figures and realize the virus is increasing, it is about to understand that behind those numbers there are human beings whose lives are marked and many others may be taking the risk of being infected or they have the virus already and have not taken a test yet.
It is true that every person sexually active should take into account the possibility of being another number in that horrifying list of HIV-positives, but are the entities in charge who have to do the most to change things.
The Operative Work Group for Confronting and Fighting AIDS (GOPELS) is integrated by several organizations and organisms to fight this evil that keeps increasing non-stop.
We can do almost nothing if we do not get concious and realize that every infected person is a defeat and a sign that something is going wrong.
A deep revision of what is going on with the new HIV-positives shows that there are big changes in the characteristics of those who got infected five, ten or more years ago.
Although in the 31 infected males it still predominates the tendency of men having sex with other men, there is an increase in the number of infected women.
It is outstanding the drastic increase of the age of the new infected people, because now is between 35 and 40 years old average, and some others exceed 50 years old.
It is also worth to higlight that most of these people knew about the risks of unprotected sexual relationships; most of them have a job; and at least six out of them work in health care centers.
What is going wrong if the disease is ahead of what is being done to stop it?
A very deep analysis with every GOPELS structure is needed. And is not only about checking the papers and strategies, but to create a general movement to change the current situation.
Plans are necessary, but we should adjust them to each territory, community and neighborhood to work better on the base.
So far the snake has been hurt, and one of its positive results has been a decrease of the young people infected. But less has been achieved with those wounds to the animal, because we just got half of success. The thing is to hit it on the head.
Source: Edmundo alemany Gutierrez, Guerrillero
Up to that date last year, the HIV-positives were 25, but the thing is not to compare figures and realize the virus is increasing, it is about to understand that behind those numbers there are human beings whose lives are marked and many others may be taking the risk of being infected or they have the virus already and have not taken a test yet.
It is true that every person sexually active should take into account the possibility of being another number in that horrifying list of HIV-positives, but are the entities in charge who have to do the most to change things.
The Operative Work Group for Confronting and Fighting AIDS (GOPELS) is integrated by several organizations and organisms to fight this evil that keeps increasing non-stop.
We can do almost nothing if we do not get concious and realize that every infected person is a defeat and a sign that something is going wrong.
A deep revision of what is going on with the new HIV-positives shows that there are big changes in the characteristics of those who got infected five, ten or more years ago.
Although in the 31 infected males it still predominates the tendency of men having sex with other men, there is an increase in the number of infected women.
It is outstanding the drastic increase of the age of the new infected people, because now is between 35 and 40 years old average, and some others exceed 50 years old.
It is also worth to higlight that most of these people knew about the risks of unprotected sexual relationships; most of them have a job; and at least six out of them work in health care centers.
What is going wrong if the disease is ahead of what is being done to stop it?
A very deep analysis with every GOPELS structure is needed. And is not only about checking the papers and strategies, but to create a general movement to change the current situation.
Plans are necessary, but we should adjust them to each territory, community and neighborhood to work better on the base.
So far the snake has been hurt, and one of its positive results has been a decrease of the young people infected. But less has been achieved with those wounds to the animal, because we just got half of success. The thing is to hit it on the head.
Source: Edmundo alemany Gutierrez, Guerrillero
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