The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. Sadia

Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise, the theme for World AIDS Day 2007, which is the worldwide campaign until 2010.

This year's theme of leadership encourages you to 'Take the Lead' in responding to key issues surrounding HIV/AIDS issues such as stigma and discrimination; access to medicines and better prevention, treatment, support and care. Leaders with vision, passion, and perseverance, who lead with personal engagement, inspire others to become engaged and make a huge difference in the response of communities to and are better example in the response to HIV/AIDS.

According to latest statistics from WHO/UN, AIDS has killed more than 25 million people and an estimated 33.2 million people all over the world are living with HIV. Out of this 30% are women and 10% are children (below 15 years). Despite the improved access to ARV treatment and care, the AIDS epidemic is killing at least 5700 people per day all over the world. Despite rampant awareness 6800 people are getting infected everyday all over the world.

In December 2006, the GOB reported that 874 people were living with HIV/AIDS in the country, with a total of 240 AIDS cases. However, UNAIDS reported in June 2007 there were some 11,000 people living with HIV. HIV has turned into concentrated epidemic among Injecting Drug Users (IDU), which reported 7 percent.

A government survey found that out of 216 new HIV positive cases identified in 2006, unemployed people were on top of the list at 39.35 percent followed by housewives at 21.29 percent and businessmen at 10.18 percent.

Injecting drug users (IDU) in Dhaka are at high risk of HIV/AIDS, according to new study by ICDDRB. HIV prevalence in Dhaka has dramatically risen to 7 percent from 1.7 percent in last six years. Sharing of injection equipment is common in most IDU surveyed. the IDU are not isolated as they have sex partners, both commercial and non-commercial, they rarely use condoms and some sell blood. IDU are also mobile traveling from one city to another and sharing injection equipment in different cities. Mobility is major factor that increases the risk of acquiring and spreading HIV infection among the non-drug users.

The adolescent and youth are also vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. A survey among adolescents and young people (15-24 years) in 2005 revealed that only one out of 3 males in urban and 1out of 4 in rural areas had correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Nearly 59 percent of married women and 42 percent of men of 15-54 age group have no knowledge as how to avoid HIV.

Mandatory testing for HIV infection is common in many countries before traveling and those returning from countries with high HIV/AIDS prevalence, Bangladesh should follow these norms. To prevent a major epidemic, Bangladesh needs to address HIV/AIDS communication strategy; secondly, concentrating on groups most vulnerable to the infection; thirdly, working with the general population (community mobilization and community supports); and fourthly, care and support to those already infected and affected by HIV/AIDS have to be provided (voluntary counseling). Dissemination and advocacy can also play a big role.

We need to change our society through public policy research, public awareness, increased funding, and community education. Above all Bangladesh should immediately translate its HIV/AIDS policies into action to benefit the people and for that reason we need strong and an effective leadership. Otherwise HIV/AIDS will destroy the economic growth of the country. We the inhabitants of this planet are to work hard together to control this scourge because to conquer AIDS any where.

AIDS prevention may entail a multi-pronged approach which integrates reproductive health literacy, women empowerment and provision of such protective measure as condoms, prevention of sexual violence as well as safeguarding human rights. Assessing specific responses to non-discriminatory practices and identifying the risk factors for HIV/AIDS for both women and men along with defusing the associated stigma and gender based violence come in containing the impact of HIV/AIDS on a sector comprehensively. As a result, AIDS education and work-place prevention underpinned by well-founded gender policy are able to internalise the gender development effectively.

Inclusive initiatives have to be taken on the urgent basis in Bangladesh to empower women and enhance their abilities to withstand health threats like HIV/AIDS. Catering to the vulnerable groups especially the destitute and disadvantaged women, there is a need for generating different pilot interventions and educational effort in response to campaign of AIDS prevention.

Strategies and interventions should tune in to sensitising policy makers, senior health planners, programme managers and other implementers to create a willing and friendly environment for achieving equality in every sector. There is no doubt that gender equality is the key way to sustainable development. So it is necessary to ensure that both women and men have to have equal access to information, treatment, care, support and productive resources. Then in true sense, gender development will be meaningful all along in preventing HIV/AIDS.

(PID-UNICEF Feature)