STANDING TALL: Evelyn Dale and Theresa Nowlin, from left, received support at the Boston Living Center and now help others there. Decades after being diagnosed with AIDS.
HIV continues to have a devastating impact on an estimate 34 million people across the world. World AIDS Day, observed on December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. This year, the World AIDS Day theme is a challenge: "How are we going to achieve zero new HIV infections in the future?" Given that there are currently 33 million people around the world living with HIV, have we learned enough from past mistakes to meet this challenge?
Backed by the United Nations, The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is “Getting to Zero”. This year’s World AIDS Day is anticipated to see renewed activism from the civil society as 1st December 2011, World AIDS Day is the moment of the year where millions of people come together across the globe to commemorate people who lost their lives to HIV, applaud progress made in responding to the epidemic and recommit to ending the epidemic. This year's mantra of "Getting to Zero: Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination. Zero AIDS-Related Deaths," really intrigued me. It's a simple, yet incredibly complicated idea that advocates and people living with the disease have been striving toward for 30 years.
The new theme, that will be used until 2015, echoes the UNAIDS vision of achieving “Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.” The decision to choose "Getting to Zero" as the theme came after extensive consultations among people living with HIV, health activists and civil society organizations.
Zero AIDS-related Deaths
Under this “zero” We needs 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 food which is needed to take the medication.
Zero New Infections
Needs to start talking more “this multiple partner syndrome that we continue to glorify and recognise as it is almost suicidal behaviour. We need to value ourselves and our loved ones enough to love protect and respect having safer sexual practices.” the data on new infections tells us that work in this area is far from over and more needs to be done to aggressively and creatively address this in our state and areas. “I think this is particularly relevant as a theme for us. This means we need to dramatically revolutionize our media messaging and use new messengers to help us reduce new infection.
Zero Stigma and Discrimination
Fear of Stigma and Discrimination continue to be the twin handicaps to all the work being done to halt the spread of HIV in the district. “We still judge people living with HIV and many still feel the piercing effects of S and D which can be more painful than HIV itself” “We have not matured as a people to be big enough to create safe spaces for people to feel it is alright for them to reveal their status without themselves being ridiculed or their children and families being alienated”
“We continue to assign shame to the disease and assume it is only applicable to some class of person or one behaviour when the statistics are showing us that HIV is everywhere and HIV does not have a 'look'”.
TB deaths among people living with HIV;
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of illness and death for people living with HIV—about one in five of the world’s 1.8 million AIDS-related deaths in 2009. “There has been a surge in awareness about the deadly TB epidemic among people living with HIV, but insufficient action. Now new scientific work has shown that we can prevent a million deaths among people living with HIV by end 2015 by providing integrated HIV and TB care,” said Dr Jorge Sampaio, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop TB and former President of Portugal. “I call on the world's leaders to take up this challenge. It is time to take bold action. Not to do so would be an outrage.” Lucy Chesire, a leading international advocate on behalf of people affected by HIV-associated TB states “Our message is clear and simple. If people living with HIV don't get tested and treated for TB, many of us will die from this disease, even though we are receiving life-saving antiretroviral treatment. It's a terrible waste, because TB is curable,”
A publication that outlines the new model, Time to act: Save a million lives by 2015 - Prevent and treat tuberculosis among people living with HIV, launched on 6 June at United Nations Headquarters calls for the following actions:
• Testing for HIV and TB should be provided every three years in places where both diseases are prevalent.
• Prompt TB treatment needs to be provided to every person living with HIV with active TB—or else treatment to prevent TB.
• HIV and TB treatment must be accessible and of good quality so that people living with HIV are cured of TB.
• Antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be started early, which will help prevent TB, since people living with HIV are far less likely to become ill with and die of TB if they begin ART before their immune systems begin serious decline.
• People who are HIV-positive and diagnosed with active TB should start ART regardless of the status of their immune systems.
Since we first learned about HIV/AIDS a decade’s back, we've been on a mission to destroy it. So far, the virus has eluded every one of our efforts to wipe it off the face of the earth. But we're getting there. We don't have a cure, and we don't have a vaccine. But what we do have is a growing number of ideas and methods that can each do their part to keep HIV down. And we have a planet filled with brilliant, dedicated people who have committed their careers, and in many cases their lives, to eradicating this virus from existence.
World AIDS Day theme of “Getting to Zero” is therefore the perfect platform for renewed focus and energies to be placed on HIV. “HIV is with us and that our state is still the region with among the highest prevalence rate. We need to ramp up our efforts not just for WAD but all year. Our efforts to address this must be redoubled and it is not something that is the responsibility of Government agency or NGOs alone but we as individuals living and working. It begins with you.”
Backed by the United Nations, The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is “Getting to Zero”. This year’s World AIDS Day is anticipated to see renewed activism from the civil society as 1st December 2011, World AIDS Day is the moment of the year where millions of people come together across the globe to commemorate people who lost their lives to HIV, applaud progress made in responding to the epidemic and recommit to ending the epidemic. This year's mantra of "Getting to Zero: Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination. Zero AIDS-Related Deaths," really intrigued me. It's a simple, yet incredibly complicated idea that advocates and people living with the disease have been striving toward for 30 years.
The new theme, that will be used until 2015, echoes the UNAIDS vision of achieving “Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths.” The decision to choose "Getting to Zero" as the theme came after extensive consultations among people living with HIV, health activists and civil society organizations.
Zero AIDS-related Deaths
Under this “zero” We needs 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 food which is needed to take the medication.
Zero New Infections
Needs to start talking more “this multiple partner syndrome that we continue to glorify and recognise as it is almost suicidal behaviour. We need to value ourselves and our loved ones enough to love protect and respect having safer sexual practices.” the data on new infections tells us that work in this area is far from over and more needs to be done to aggressively and creatively address this in our state and areas. “I think this is particularly relevant as a theme for us. This means we need to dramatically revolutionize our media messaging and use new messengers to help us reduce new infection.
Zero Stigma and Discrimination
Fear of Stigma and Discrimination continue to be the twin handicaps to all the work being done to halt the spread of HIV in the district. “We still judge people living with HIV and many still feel the piercing effects of S and D which can be more painful than HIV itself” “We have not matured as a people to be big enough to create safe spaces for people to feel it is alright for them to reveal their status without themselves being ridiculed or their children and families being alienated”
“We continue to assign shame to the disease and assume it is only applicable to some class of person or one behaviour when the statistics are showing us that HIV is everywhere and HIV does not have a 'look'”.
TB deaths among people living with HIV;
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of illness and death for people living with HIV—about one in five of the world’s 1.8 million AIDS-related deaths in 2009. “There has been a surge in awareness about the deadly TB epidemic among people living with HIV, but insufficient action. Now new scientific work has shown that we can prevent a million deaths among people living with HIV by end 2015 by providing integrated HIV and TB care,” said Dr Jorge Sampaio, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Stop TB and former President of Portugal. “I call on the world's leaders to take up this challenge. It is time to take bold action. Not to do so would be an outrage.” Lucy Chesire, a leading international advocate on behalf of people affected by HIV-associated TB states “Our message is clear and simple. If people living with HIV don't get tested and treated for TB, many of us will die from this disease, even though we are receiving life-saving antiretroviral treatment. It's a terrible waste, because TB is curable,”
A publication that outlines the new model, Time to act: Save a million lives by 2015 - Prevent and treat tuberculosis among people living with HIV, launched on 6 June at United Nations Headquarters calls for the following actions:
• Testing for HIV and TB should be provided every three years in places where both diseases are prevalent.
• Prompt TB treatment needs to be provided to every person living with HIV with active TB—or else treatment to prevent TB.
• HIV and TB treatment must be accessible and of good quality so that people living with HIV are cured of TB.
• Antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be started early, which will help prevent TB, since people living with HIV are far less likely to become ill with and die of TB if they begin ART before their immune systems begin serious decline.
• People who are HIV-positive and diagnosed with active TB should start ART regardless of the status of their immune systems.
Since we first learned about HIV/AIDS a decade’s back, we've been on a mission to destroy it. So far, the virus has eluded every one of our efforts to wipe it off the face of the earth. But we're getting there. We don't have a cure, and we don't have a vaccine. But what we do have is a growing number of ideas and methods that can each do their part to keep HIV down. And we have a planet filled with brilliant, dedicated people who have committed their careers, and in many cases their lives, to eradicating this virus from existence.
World AIDS Day theme of “Getting to Zero” is therefore the perfect platform for renewed focus and energies to be placed on HIV. “HIV is with us and that our state is still the region with among the highest prevalence rate. We need to ramp up our efforts not just for WAD but all year. Our efforts to address this must be redoubled and it is not something that is the responsibility of Government agency or NGOs alone but we as individuals living and working. It begins with you.”
Compiled by;
(LITHSA)
Kiphire: Nagaland
lithsa@rediffmail.com, http://lithsa.blogspot.com
Positive attitude
Survivors celebrate World AIDS Day; help others live life to the fullest
Tenley Woodman
Thirty years ago, when AIDS was first reported, the disease was a death sentence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and 20 percent of those do not know they are infected.
As people take pause for World AIDS Day tomorrow, locals battling HIV and AIDS offer hope for others grappling with this chronic, incurable affliction. “It will be 30 years on New Year’s Eve this year,” said Dorchester resident David Morris, 57, who has full-blown AIDS. “(The doctor) called me at 6 p.m. He said, ‘Get your things in order. You have six months.’ ”
The disease has taken its toll on Morris emotionally and physically: He has lost nearly 60 friends to AIDS, and he beat stage four lymphoma in the mid-1990s — but he hasn’t let it stop him from living. He is an avid outdoorsman and devotes his time to working as an HIV/AIDS counselor for Pharma Health Pharmacy. “I’ve always thought I’m not ready to go. I just fought that thing to death,” Morris said. “It’s not a death sentence.”
Theresa Nowlin first tested positive in 1986, but didn’t come to terms with her AIDS diagnosis until 1991 when she discovered she was pregnant. “I felt such dirtiness and shame,” said Nowlin, 49, of Dorchester. “I knew nothing about the virus.” Her child was born without the disease and is now a healthy 19-year-old.
Nowlin turned to the Boston Living Center, an HIV/AIDS support organization, for help. She now works there as a receptionist and peer advocate, helping others who feel lost and discouraged by their diagnoses. “I’m a person, not HIV. I’m still a human being,” she said. “We need to keep (awareness up) so they have the support I’ve had.”
Three years ago, Kimberly Wilson suffered a near-fatal bout of pneumonia and was diagnosed with HIV. The 48-year-old Boston resident now helps others with HIV and AIDS. “Somebody helped me. I said as soon as I’m able to, I’m going to help somebody else. It just came naturally. I don’t call it a job,” said Wilson, a peer advocate for AIDS Action Committee in Boston.
Evelyn Dale has been living with AIDS for 21 years. Like Nowlin, the Boston Living Center is a refuge. She now serves as a volunteer. “I’m a fighter,” the 46-year-old Roslindale mother of three said. “There’s always tomorrow: You have to have that type of an outlook, no matter how bad today gets, you have tomorrow.”
Survivors celebrate World AIDS Day; help others live life to the fullest
Tenley Woodman
Thirty years ago, when AIDS was first reported, the disease was a death sentence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and 20 percent of those do not know they are infected.
As people take pause for World AIDS Day tomorrow, locals battling HIV and AIDS offer hope for others grappling with this chronic, incurable affliction. “It will be 30 years on New Year’s Eve this year,” said Dorchester resident David Morris, 57, who has full-blown AIDS. “(The doctor) called me at 6 p.m. He said, ‘Get your things in order. You have six months.’ ”
The disease has taken its toll on Morris emotionally and physically: He has lost nearly 60 friends to AIDS, and he beat stage four lymphoma in the mid-1990s — but he hasn’t let it stop him from living. He is an avid outdoorsman and devotes his time to working as an HIV/AIDS counselor for Pharma Health Pharmacy. “I’ve always thought I’m not ready to go. I just fought that thing to death,” Morris said. “It’s not a death sentence.”
Theresa Nowlin first tested positive in 1986, but didn’t come to terms with her AIDS diagnosis until 1991 when she discovered she was pregnant. “I felt such dirtiness and shame,” said Nowlin, 49, of Dorchester. “I knew nothing about the virus.” Her child was born without the disease and is now a healthy 19-year-old.
Nowlin turned to the Boston Living Center, an HIV/AIDS support organization, for help. She now works there as a receptionist and peer advocate, helping others who feel lost and discouraged by their diagnoses. “I’m a person, not HIV. I’m still a human being,” she said. “We need to keep (awareness up) so they have the support I’ve had.”
Three years ago, Kimberly Wilson suffered a near-fatal bout of pneumonia and was diagnosed with HIV. The 48-year-old Boston resident now helps others with HIV and AIDS. “Somebody helped me. I said as soon as I’m able to, I’m going to help somebody else. It just came naturally. I don’t call it a job,” said Wilson, a peer advocate for AIDS Action Committee in Boston.
Evelyn Dale has been living with AIDS for 21 years. Like Nowlin, the Boston Living Center is a refuge. She now serves as a volunteer. “I’m a fighter,” the 46-year-old Roslindale mother of three said. “There’s always tomorrow: You have to have that type of an outlook, no matter how bad today gets, you have tomorrow.”
