Friends find solace on each other.
The World AIDS Day was yesterday and I saw no awareness amidst the people I know, or the community I live in. It is kinda strange not to consider this day as an important reminder of prevention we all should indulge. I don't know whether people would keep their minds on spending - Black Friday/ Xmas - or just take it for granted.
Although there are parts of the world where HIV numbers are decreasing, there are parts where people are unaware of the problem. In UK, for example, a quarter of 90.000 people infected don't even know they have the virus. The UN recently released 2011 statistics which showed newly infected reaching 2.5 million. If we consider the UN program for AIDS, 'Getting To Zero', there is still a lot of ground ahead of everyone.
The campaign to get AIDS down to zero has 10 goals for 2015; many of them are quite difficult to deliver, such as preventing all drug users from getting infected. It's extremely positive to have goals and follow them, but when you are speaking on behalf of other nations, it gets difficult to manage. What people need to know is that everyone can make the change, not leaving the burden to medical organizations around the world.
It could be as easy as using a condom or a new syringe. The condom promotion investment, for example, in low and middle income countries is currently US$ 100 million, but it is needed more US$ 190 million to increase awareness till 2015. Investments are a bit low now than they are requested. So at least what people can do right is act aware - in fact that is the campaign idea by World AIDS Day organization in UK.
Hopefully in between this World Day and the next I can see people discussing and thinking more about this topic around me. If you are thinking on donating blood, one thing leads to the other, and then next time you see, you are having the HIV test. It is as simple as that, and it can be part of everyone's lives too.
