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opinionAlso in this section:
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Living positive in the Caribbean: make HIV/AIDS an economic priority! by Clarence E. Pilgrim I strongly believe that a truly progressive society realizes that education is the crucial path to enlightenment is an ever changing world. The accumulation of knowledge and the way knowledge is used to bring about understanding and direction for our society will be the driving force to halt, reduce and eventually overcome one of the greatest social and economic threats facing not only the Caribbean Community, but to all nations on this planet. The frightening reality facing Caribbean Community countries is that HIV/AIDS, is becoming a significant factor in the Economic life of our nations. The Caribbean remains the second most affected sub-region in the world, after Sub-Saharan Africa. Approximately 1.2 percent of the population, 250,000 people, is living with HIV in the sub-region. According to the latest data from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO), some 39.5 million people in the world are today living with HIV. In the Caribbean, the availability of treatment has helped reduce the number of AIDS deaths from 21,000 in 2004 to 19,000 in 2006. As countries which invest heavily and directly in the hospitality industry and their related enterprises, the Caribbean Community cannot avoid the negative health impact which will permeate into many sectors, if strong and decisive action is not taken now. There can be no doubt that there are significant challenges confronting persons attempting to live a positive lifestyle with HIV/AIDS. Sadly, discrimination and misunderstanding still shrouds fact and reason in a ghastly mist of ignorance. It is important for all of us (individuals, civil society and governments) to see HIV-positive persons as real “flesh and blood” human beings, who can live productive lives and not just frightening menaces to society to be shunned and feared. The target of the Universal Access Initiative is to come “as close as possible to universal access to treatment for all those who need it by 2010”. To have any hope of achieving this target, it is important that the appropriate Planning methodology be applied. Health systems and their infrastructure should be created with the appropriate resources for their sustainability. Existing systems be developed and strengthened with the necessary resources. The political directorate must exercise their commitment to the creation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies and policies which includes a tough stand against stigma and discrimination. It is hoped that elimination will be a long-term reachable goal with the continued developments in science and technology. HIV syndrome is a name for the early stage of HIV infection. This is when a person is first infected with HIV. (HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.) When HIV enters a person’s body, it moves inside the white blood cells called "CD4 lymphocytes." HIV takes over the CD4 cells and makes billions of copies of itself each day. This then spreads through the body. In an attempt to fight the enemy the body tries to make Antibodies (these hook on to the virus and keep it from making new viruses). Special cells called macrophages and natural killer T-cells. These cells help you to get rid of some of the new virus. If antibodies against HIV show up in the blood, then it is a sign that the body is trying to protect you from the HIV infection. It usually takes several months before the body makes enough antibodies to measure. However, when there is an acute HIV syndrome, there is a high level of HIV RNA in the blood. A test can measure the amount of HIV RNA in the blood. (RNA is the short name for "ribonucleic acid." RNA is made when the virus is active.) This test tells the doctor that the illness being experienced is because of the presence of acute HIV syndrome. After acute HIV infection, the body engages the virus in battle. With the body fighting it, the virus can't make so many copies of itself. So it is quite possible for a person to begin to look well and feel well again. Combination drug therapy has changed HIV disease from being one of the killers of humanity to a chronic disease which, with properly planned management, can be controlled for decades. The medicines don't kill the virus ---they just keep the immune system strong enough to prevent AIDS or slow it down. There is no cure for HIV infection. However, treatment with HIV medicines (usually at least 3 at once) can hold down the virus and keep your body's immune system strong for a longer time. That's why early treatment of people with HIV is very important! In November 2006 the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PAN CAP), gave a commitment to continuing it’s role in advancing the fight against the scourge. It is very important that organizations like these give real substance and meaning to what is required, and I urge that it continues with it’s efforts. I also urge that we all as responsible men and women join in this fight to save our humanity from this deadly attack.
The author is an educator and civil servant in Antigua & Barbuda.
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