10 facts on HIV and AIDS

Find below 10 facts on HIV/AIDS: Enjoy reading article courtesy WHO.

 

Updated July 2014

© WHO/James Oatway 2009

HIV/AIDS remains one of the world's most significant public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
As a result of recent advances in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-positive people now live longer and healthier lives. In addition, it has been confirmed that ART prevents onward transmission of HIV.
At the end of 2013, 11.7 million people were receiving ART in low- and middle-income countries; this represents 36% [34–38%] of the 32.6 million [30.7–34.8 million] people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries.
Progress has also been made in preventing mother-to-child transmission and keeping mothers alive. In 2013, close to 7 out of 10 pregnant women living with HIV – 970 000 women – received antiretrovirals (ARVs).
WHO has released a set of normative guidelines and provides support to countries in formulating and implementing policies and programmes to improve and scale up HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services for all people in need.
This fact file provides current data on the disease, and ways to prevent and treat it.
Read 10 facts on HIV/AIDS

Related links

• Early HIV treatment: Tackling HIV among injecting drug users in Vietnam
  Feature story, July 2014
• More features about HIV/AIDS
• Q&As: HIV
• Fact sheet on HIV/AIDS
• WHO's work on HIV/AIDS
• More about HIV/AIDS

Are you HIV Positive?

This is very tough especially if you took the test without really making up your mind to do so.
However, there is still hope...
The following can be done.
1. Take some time to really understand what this results mean,
2. You need to start thinking of a disclosure plan;who can you share your HIV status with...Friend, spouse, Parents, religious leaders etc. This will help to provide some form of relieve and support to you.
3. Have you been linked to a Hospital for care and treatment? if not, do you need one Please let me know.. i can be of great help.
4. After being effectively linked to a health facility you would go through some counseling sessions, have laboratory tests done and if eligible will begin taking the ARVs-Anti retroviral therapy.
5.You would have to imbibe what we call "positive living" values. Avoid reinfecting your self; avoid infecting others and keep in touch with the health care provider should you develop any side effects.

HIV prevention

Hi Folks!

Its good to know you are out there.
Do you know that the first step towards HIV prevention is indeed knowing your status, this would be either HIV Negative or Positive.


What can i do if the result is HIV negative?
first things first...
Have you heard about the window period?
If you were exposed to HIV either through Unprotected sex with an infected person; unsafe blood transfusion; or through the use of unsafe sharp objects then you may be in the window period-the time between getting infected and sero-conversion.
However, you can repeat the test after 6-12 weeks ensure you go through counselling sessions, this will help ensure a risk reduction plan is developed (by you with support from the counsellor)

If the result still remains negative then you have to do all that you can, avoiding all risks...Unsafe sex, unsafe blood transfusion, unsafe needles/sharps; so as to remain HIV negative.

watch out for more information in my subsequent posts!!!

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE CONDOMS?

How to Use a Condom Consistently and Correctly

·        Use a new condom for every act of vaginal, anal and oral sex—throughout the entire sex act (from start to finish). Before any genital contact, put the condom on the tip of the erect penis with the rolled side out.

·        If the condom does not have a reservoir tip, pinch the tip enough to leave a half-inch space for semen to collect. Holding the tip, unroll the condom all the way to the base of the erect penis.

·        After ejaculation and before the penis gets soft, grip the rim of the condom and carefully withdraw. Then gently pull the condom off the penis, making sure that semen doesn’t spill out.

·        Wrap the condom in a tissue and throw it in the trash where others won’t handle it. ,...Do not flush in the toilet.

·        If you feel the condom break at any point during sexual activity, stop immediately, withdraw, remove the broken condom, and put on a new condom.

·        Ensure that adequate lubrication is used during vaginal and  anal sex, which might require water-based lubricants. Oil-based lubricants (e.g., petroleum jelly, shortening, mineral oil, massage oils, body lotions, and cooking oil) should not be used because they can weaken latex, causing breakage.

 

Source: www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/brief.html