Prevention and Treatment
The United States Department of Health and Human Services encourages safe sex since HIV is only transmitted through bodily fluids. It advises against having sex without a condom and other risky sexual behaviors such as having multiple partners.
It noted that there is now low risk in the US of getting the disease from donated blood and organs. This is due to the implementation of strict screening measures.
Women who are positive for HIV and are pregnant are provided antiretroviral therapy (ART). This treatment works by reducing the levels of the virus in a person’s body, lowering the risk of transmission. ART is the primary treatment method for HIV. It, however, does not completely eliminate the virus.
Global and Philippine Situations
According to the WHO, knowledge about the disease has significantly improved since its discovery. The medical community has effective tools for prevention. And it is able to provide swift diagnosis that enables effective management of HIV/AIDS. This allows individuals with HIV to live long and healthy lives.
Recent medical advances are due to the huge amounts of time and resources poured by governments and private institutions worldwide to find solutions. From 2000 to 2015 alone, a study in medical journal The Lancet estimated that $562 billion dollars have been spent on HIV/AIDs.
The WHO warns that HIV remains one of the biggest public health challenges across the globe, causing over 32 million deaths so far. In 2018, the WHO estimated that 37.9 million all over the world are living with HIV.
The WHO HIV Profile for the Philippines showed that an estimated 77,000 people in the country have the virus. Of these, 59,000 or 76% are aware they are infected, while 33,600 or 44% are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). In 1998, the government passed the AIDS Prevention and Control Act, with raising HIV awareness in the Philippines among its stated objectives.
Comments
Share your thoughts
Be the first to let Hello Doctor know your thoughts!
Join Us or Log In to join the discussion