Two important articles regarding HIV/AIDS crisis, both domestically in the USA and regarding the Pope, were published today. In light of Wolverine's prior post discussing the myriad of problems that the Obama administration is attempting to address, I found these articles extremely relevant for your review.
First, the BBC announced today that Washington, D.C. is suffering from an HIV/AIDS epidemic on par with the infection rates in some African nations. The article reports that HIV is defined as a generalized and severe epidemic when the overall infection rates among residents of a specific geographic area exceed 1%. Washington, D.C. clocks in at 3% (although the real figure may be higher), putting the United States AIDS epidemic in just DC at the same level as Uganda's. The article also states that the hardest-hit segments of the population are black men and people aged between 40 and 49. Additionally, the primary means of transmission is men having sex with men, followed by heterosexual sex, and infection through drug use. For the full article, please click here.
In my opinion, this is a shame for the United States. With so much knowledge about how to prevent HIV, ways to make programs effective, and the availability of condoms and medicines to treat HIV/AIDS in the United States, one would think that the representatives in the country's capital would take far better care of the residents. The unfortunate truth is that the residents of Washington, D.C. tend to be ignored despite all the politicians and representation within the city. The United States has been a leader in the development of treatments for HIV/AIDS and as such, should be a leader in prevention as well. The entire country needs to do a far better job encouraging people to get tested and be proactive in their health. For more on HIV/AIDS prevention, see one of my previous articles: "HIV Myths Sentence Man to 35 Years."
The second article that is also the subject of the most recent "What do YOU think" poll, regards Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Africa and the statements he made regarding condoms and HIV/AIDS.
While abstinence is the only certain way to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV, latex condoms when properly and consistently used have been found to have a 98 to 100% rate of effectiveness. Additionally, abstinence-only education programs have been found to fail where sexual intercourse was the primary means of HIV transmission. Furthermore, male circumcision has been found to be up to 60% effective in preventing HIV transmission in the aforementioned circumstances. While it is never a good idea to pursue only one policy avenue, it is a critical mistake to discount the effectiveness of condoms and the necessity of safe sexual practices.
As Rebecca Hodes, head of policy, communication, and research for the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa, so aptly stated, "if the pope is serious about preventing HIV infections, he should focus on promoting wide access to condoms and spreading information on how to use them. Instead, his opposition to condoms conveys that religious dogma is more important to hiim than the lives of Africans."
For the full article about the Pope, please click here.
Please voice your thoughts, questions, or concerns in the comments area or in the poll on the right of the screen (link provided above).
First, the BBC announced today that Washington, D.C. is suffering from an HIV/AIDS epidemic on par with the infection rates in some African nations. The article reports that HIV is defined as a generalized and severe epidemic when the overall infection rates among residents of a specific geographic area exceed 1%. Washington, D.C. clocks in at 3% (although the real figure may be higher), putting the United States AIDS epidemic in just DC at the same level as Uganda's. The article also states that the hardest-hit segments of the population are black men and people aged between 40 and 49. Additionally, the primary means of transmission is men having sex with men, followed by heterosexual sex, and infection through drug use. For the full article, please click here.
In my opinion, this is a shame for the United States. With so much knowledge about how to prevent HIV, ways to make programs effective, and the availability of condoms and medicines to treat HIV/AIDS in the United States, one would think that the representatives in the country's capital would take far better care of the residents. The unfortunate truth is that the residents of Washington, D.C. tend to be ignored despite all the politicians and representation within the city. The United States has been a leader in the development of treatments for HIV/AIDS and as such, should be a leader in prevention as well. The entire country needs to do a far better job encouraging people to get tested and be proactive in their health. For more on HIV/AIDS prevention, see one of my previous articles: "HIV Myths Sentence Man to 35 Years."
The second article that is also the subject of the most recent "What do YOU think" poll, regards Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Africa and the statements he made regarding condoms and HIV/AIDS.
"You can't resolve it [HIV/AIDS crisis] with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane heading to Yaounde. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."
The pope said a responsible and moral attitude toward sex would help fight the disease, as he answered questions submitted in advance by reporters traveling on the plane. His response was presumably also prepared in advance.
The Catholic Church rejects the use of condoms as part of its overall teaching against artificial contraception. Senior Vatican officials have advocated fidelity in marriage and abstinence from premarital sex as key weapons in the fight against AIDS.
While abstinence is the only certain way to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV, latex condoms when properly and consistently used have been found to have a 98 to 100% rate of effectiveness. Additionally, abstinence-only education programs have been found to fail where sexual intercourse was the primary means of HIV transmission. Furthermore, male circumcision has been found to be up to 60% effective in preventing HIV transmission in the aforementioned circumstances. While it is never a good idea to pursue only one policy avenue, it is a critical mistake to discount the effectiveness of condoms and the necessity of safe sexual practices.As Rebecca Hodes, head of policy, communication, and research for the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa, so aptly stated, "if the pope is serious about preventing HIV infections, he should focus on promoting wide access to condoms and spreading information on how to use them. Instead, his opposition to condoms conveys that religious dogma is more important to hiim than the lives of Africans."
For the full article about the Pope, please click here.
Please voice your thoughts, questions, or concerns in the comments area or in the poll on the right of the screen (link provided above).
1 comment:
It always make me proud to be Catholic when the pope starts arguing that condoms increase the spread of AIDS. My memory's a little fuzzy, but I think that's one of the things we had to agree with before we were baptized. Real solid rational thinking, your eminence.
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