Global HIV Prevention Essay Example for Free

Global HIV Prevention Essay HIV has moved from being an ordinary disease to a pandemic that is affecting people world wide. Strategies have been developed and are still being formulated on the way forward to combat this menace and preventing further spread of the disease. Unfortunately Africa is the hardest hit producing the first twenty countries with the highest prevalence rates. More than 60% of the adult population is living positively with the virus. In the US the story is different with decline of prevalence rate going down drastically but the incidence rate is ever increasing. There are the traditional ways that so far have been used to combat HIV/AIDS which include: Abstaining from sexual acts until at least one is married, being faithful to one partner without switching partners now and then and if the two methods do not work, one can result to using prevention (condom) especially among the youth. The main goal of this paper (study) is to bring down the prevalence rate of HIV nationwide and worldwide by seeking to address some myths and beliefs that are associated with HIV stigmatization. Disparities in race are some of the main areas of address. The other goals that are in some ways encompassed in this main objective are to minimize the number of people at high risks of transmitting or being effected by the virus. The other aim of this report is to address the issue of getting people to know their HIV status especially those that do not know and are living positively with the virus. The third goal of this report is formation of a network of people living with HIV/AIDS which will be like a social group for getting moral and financial support. These networks will act as the connection between organizations that want to monitor HIV progress and people living positively (CDC, 2007). For achievement of these goals, a lot of inter agency cooperation and non governmental organizations (non profit organization) input would be required not withstanding some strategies that have to drafted and enforced for total success. Success of these strategies will depend on the area where they are being applied. For instance address of poverty is a strategy that can be applied in Africa but not in the developed countries like Europe and US. This will be trying to empower people economically so that they will not have to exploit their sexuality for upkeep which spreads the HIV disease even more. A second strategy that would be effective is monitoring the morbidity and mortality arising from HIV so that utilization of funds for HIV program may be planned and allocated accordingly. This goes a long way in preventing the embezzlement of funds intended for this program. Another strategy that can work well is putting in place preventive programs and counseling centers. This is best undertaken through campaigns and organizing for workshops that are aimed at educating the masses on the HIV pandemic. The best tool here to employ is the media both electronic (internet TV and radio) and printed. This is the best overall idea and would work best for Africa which has the highest prevalence rates and also the poorest continent (CDC 2007). Program assessment and policy formulation is a further tactic that can be effective in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This will entail a lot of research and data collection that will employ a lot of disciplines to be effective. The data to be collected will be from the affected people therefore the statistics collected will be based on real numbers and not estimates. This will necessitate the usage of questionnaires and testing of the population to come up with data. This strategy will closely work with another that aims at building a database that will be for coordinating the function of all the organizations that are involved in various aspects of monitoring HIV globally. This database will be in form of a link that will be a collection of the various programs that have been developed since the pandemic started. Many of the organization here will be divided into various groups like those that offer counseling services and education to the public, those that offer financial help to people affected in order to secure retro viral drugs or for general upkeep (CDC, 2007). On top of all these strategies, a lot of finance is required to support the various activities that are needed to keep the machines of preventive strategies working. The money can be allocated to different activities related to HIV researches like invention of the elusive vaccine. Counseling activities also require much financing and preventive counseling is preferred since when the public has been educated about the dangers and ways through which one gets HIV, it will prevent many unprecedented cases that happen by chance and ignorance. As we seek ways to deal with HIV, other related sexually transmitted diseases should not be forgotten because they occur concurrently and they can be used as indicators of places with high incidence of HIV especially when the actual statistics are unavailable (CDC 2007). In order for successful HIV prevention and drastic reduction of its prevalence rate, many non governmental organizations from countries across the globe and governmental cooperation is required. This will foster strengthening and innovation of the existing strategies and if need be new tactics be formulated. The strategies lined above will be implemented in different parts of the globe which therefore calls for many enforcing agents in those countries which will be guided by the social norms there. The pandemic is affecting everyone directly or indirectly therefore the effects in Africa will eventually be felt in Europe and America. Reference CDC. (2007) Interpretation and Discussion of Findings. Retrieved 24 April 2009 from http://www. cdc. gov/hiv/topics/testing/resource/reports/hivprevalence/interpretation. htm .