How can the AIDS epidemic be stopped and what's the role of the world leaders in this?

Question

This is one of the big challenges of our time and history will jude our generation.
Global AIDS epidemic continues to grow

New data also show HIV prevention programmes getting better results if focused on reaching people most at risk and adapted to changing national epidemics

According to the latest figures published today in the UNAIDS/WHO 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update, an estimated 39.5 million people are living with HIV. There were 4.3 million new infections in 2006 with 2.8 million (65%) of these occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and important increases in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where there are some indications that infection rates have risen by more than 50% since 2004. In 2006, 2.9 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

Personal reponsibility doesn't work in socieeties were woman's rights aren't respected,any idea's on that?

Answer 1

Waaaaay back in 1986, conservative Surgeon General C. Everett Koop came up with a common-sense, effective plan to slow, if not halt, the spread of HIV/AIDS. The most effective way to do this, Dr. Koop said, was to provide frank education to young people about how AIDS is spread and what can be done to protect yourself. This included promoting abstinence as the only 100% safe way, but also to use condoms every time a person has sexual intercourse.

Fast forward to 2002-2006. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief specifies that two-thirds of the budget used to prevent the sexually-transmitted spread of HIV *must* be used to promote abstinence and fidelity. Most of the PEPFAR teams have reported that this is causing difficulty for them to most effectively fight AIDS in their countries. The "Mexico City" policy was re-instated, which cut funding to fight AIDS to groups who also provide resources on abortion (thankfully, this was later reformed so that these organizations could qualify for funding, as long as the family-planning aspect and AIDS-treatment aspect were handled seperately). On the homefront, millions of dollars have been funnelled into "abstinence-only" programs (many of which also blatantly promote Christianity) rather than traditional sex education programs in schools.

AIDS will probably never be entirely "stopped," given its nature, unless a cure is found (or it evolves into something less fatal). What we can do to stop the spread of AIDS, at home and abroad, is to have effective strategies, not ones based on idealogy.

Answer 2

It's crazy how something like AIDS can be prevented by something as simple as a condom yet even today in the West, where you can even get free condoms, people still continue to unprotected sex.

How can we expect anything better for Africa when people in the UK with full access to media, advice, support, free contraceptives and testing cannot even make the effort to be safer?

People need to be educated from a far earlier age (especially as more and more children are having sex), and for AIDS to stop being a taboo and given more media attention than the likes of Bird Flu. Contraceptives should be available more freely.

Abroad, I don't like the idea of quarantines- but unfortunately it may be the most effective way. More education is needed abroad, more discussion and interaction with the communities. It makes me feel ill to think that if we were closer to Africa politically and personally, we could all make a difference.

The point is, the west doesn't really care or is too busy to care.

... except for the pharmaceutical companies. They get paid to care. If they found a cure, you know the first question they would ask themselves... what makes us more money? curing these millions of people... or allowing these millions of people to stay sick?

Answer 3

AIDS is a global epidemic. Mostly everyone know what AIDS is and how it is transferred. We keep spending money on programs educating AIDS awareness but how about using that same money towards research for a cure. Millions of cases are reported each year though millions have been put into teaching people preventive measures against AIDS but still the number of infections increases. What is wrong with this picture? People will do what they want no matter how much education they have. Some don’t give a heap about themselves or the people that they sleep with. I say keep the funding education on the disease in third world countries such as those in Africa, as well as India and other countries that have limited resources. we need more money for research for a cure because obviously people will still sleep around, engage in dangerous sexual acts such as unprotected orgies, multiple partners, intercourse with hookers and so on. especially here in the US, there should be no reason for the increase of AIDS cases as we all have the opportunity to receive education on AIDS, and have resources such as health clinics for condoms, (even on college campuses). It's there for us but it is up to us to want to be healthy and protect the ones that we love.

Answer 4

The writing is on the wall and clearly shows that we are not powerless against this epidemic although the response leaves much to be desired. We face an awesome task of increasing the political will, resources, systems and social commitment in order to turn the tide.
It's imperative (and long overdue) that our world leaders shove political rubbish aside and apply their influence with the might installed in them.

Answer 5

this is phenomenal that human beings can so gently say that leaders like George Bush are doing not something. have you ever researched this. He has given a competent deal of lip service to worldwide warming and has even signed a bill gone with the aid of congress aimed in direction of keeping ability, curtailing CO2 emissions, and taxing the known public precise suitable. He has finished precisely what the tree huggers are asking yet they nonetheless do not understand his 0.5 hearted attempt to pacify them.

Answer 6

The only answer at the onset was quarantine, and no political entity had the courage to suggest it.
Immediately after, laws to allow keeping its existence secret in a patient are patently responsible for the spread.
Again, politics intervened and now we have millions dying and thousands who don't know that their partners are affected.
Rulers in the "broken toilet" countries have publicly stated that sex is not the cause of the spread. Go figure.
They'll blame the US anyway, regardless of evidence.

Answer 7

People can stop being promiscuous and using intravenous drugs. Nothing the government can do will work if the people living the lifestyles refuse to change. In the eighties, homosexuals were being warned that their lifestyle put them at high risk. Did they do anything to change their lifestyle? Some did, some were scared straight and spread it to the straight population. Others said to hell with it and kept on living their dangerous lifestyles all the while blaming the Reagan administration for the epidemic for not spending enough on research.

Answer 8

you can't stop it completely (at least not now), unless a cure is found in the future. the present way to stop it from spreading is ridiculous (shut down all airports, roads, harbors (quarantine)) as contraception is still not available in most areas of Africa (where Aids is having the most impact)

Answer 9

the way I see it, it will never be solved. people as young as 10 have been known to have sex...until all physical contact is stopped, all contact..it will never be stopped. but if all contact could stop for a few years, then anyone having contact wear completely clean only had it to have children.then this disease could be stopped this way...
so like I said, the way I see it, it will never be stopped....
and your right about moving them money from advertising to getting the cure then maybe we could be going the right way..
when you have middle school kids carrying HIV and full blown Aids...we have more than a problem..much more than a problem...
every one needs to stop...that's the only way..

Answer 10

Until it is more profitable to cure HIV, instead of just treating it there will never be a cure.