Whilst chatting to my mother at the weekend and talking about my health, she commented on how behind she was with the latest information and knowledge that is out there regarding HIV. Now my mother isn't ignorant about HIV. At the turn of the century her and my stepdad had cared for a close friend of theirs in his last few months of his struggle with HIV. Mum's knowledge is firsthand, and of the worst side of the illness which fortunately today is taking fewer lives.
I think what scares me is the complacency that our current society here in the west now holds towards HIV. There seems to be two common trends. One is that HIV is still percieved as a killer. The second is that because it's now a manageable virus, riskier sex is now once again permitted.
Our government here in the UK ran a great "Safe Sex" campaign back in the late 1980's which got the message accross about safe sex, non sharing of drug needles and how to stay healthy. However it now feels that because it's been downgraded to an "accute" illness, the government can rest on it's laurels with education about HIV, which is still incredibly expensiver for each patient diagnosed and living with the virus.
What is needed is a re-newed awareness campaign driven by the goernment and not charities to drive a new awareness campaign, not only about safe sex and why it is still needed, but information on the current medications, medication resistance and it's implications for both healthy and infected people, and overall the main problems encountered by poeple living with HIV. Yes we may live longer, but our road is not a smnooth one - and more knowledge in the public domain is needed.
No comments:
Post a Comment