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World AIDS Day
I grew up listening to people campaign against the deadly virus.
I always wondered how and why should people continue to contract this deadly disease when apparently we all grew up singing “ ABC: A-means abstinence, B-means be faithful, C- means condom use.
However, I was ignorant on the fact that, it is not only through sex or blood transfusions that I was taught were the commonest means of contracting it.
I didn’t know for a fact that a child can be born with it as well.
It is sad to think about these always.
Having friends whom we know are dying inside yet they can’t voice out their fears and grievances
Knowing very well we have friends with great potentials who can contribute to making the nation achieve great successes
Yet, they bottle up all these potentials for fear of being victimized and fear of being laid to rest anytime soon.
They lock themselves up in their rooms, thinking of ways to end things quickly for them to be relieved of the pains they go through every single night and looking for means to avoid being seen by the society at all cost in order to avoid stigmatization.
Here I am today, calling on every individual with the disease and here to tell them that everything is not over. Just not yet!
Do not let this pull you down, you’re a great person with great potentials and I dare you to go out there and make it known to everyone.
I dare you to go out there and achieve those dreams that you’ve always cherished.
I dare you to know that this is nothing but just a test to you and I dare pass that test.
Be strong, for I know for you’re the strongest person to have survived this coupled with what society has thrown against you till this day.
I’m here to tell you that you can do everything and can achieve anything you wish for. Just know that you can do it.
This is a wake up call to everyone one of us, this could be you or anyone else. Stop the stigma and begin to embrace everyone out there.
Stay healthy, stay protected and come out great, knowing you conquered the universe to reach the apex.
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV Interferes with your body's ability to fight diseases and infections.
This year's theme emphasises on eliminating the inequalities such as gender Inequalities that have slowed the fight against the disease. According to researches made , gender Inequalities is one major reason why AIDS have a slow treatment rate . The study shows how gender Inequalities are harmful and gender norms are blocking the end of AIDS pandemic with rising new cases and continuous deaths around the globe.
Again, last year recorded 650,000 deaths and 1.5 million acquired HIV which causes the disease.
A breakdown of HIV transmission by risk factor include: 4% Injecting drug user, 1 %others, 1% mother to child ( vertical) and 94% sexual transmission. Not forgetting blood transfusion,organ transplantations, needle stick injury and no information.
HIV is not transmitted through kissing, eating together with an HIV positive, mosquito bites, sharing the same clothes and using the same lavatory with infected persons. There is no vaccine for this disease. Currently, only 75% know their status.
Signs and symptoms include muscle and joint pain, heat weight loss, rash, frequent viral Infections, nausea, candidiasis of the oral cavity among others. Let's come together to help fight this deadly disease.
Let's make it a ZERO fear, ZERO stigma, ZERO Ignorance, ZERO deaths, and a ZERO discrimination. Keep the disease at bay, yet have love for the disease.stay safe..