HIV AIDS is here to stay like any other diseases caused by viruses. It is a sad trend that not much attention these days is given curb this deadly virus.
Everyday there are positive cases reported at VCCT sites for treatment and everyday health facilities right around the nation is running low on ART drugs.
A person suffering from HIV AIDS must take his/her medicine everyday for the rest of their life. One day missed treatment and the virus multiplies, a week and all the ARTs taken earlier are just a waste.
The virus doesn't die, taking medicine everyday suppress its ability to spread, and so it goes away and sleep, not in the blood but in the organs and tissues and so there is less viral load in the blood stream.
An infected person on ART drugs consistently and faithfully for more than 3-5months, the virus in the blood is decreased so low that you can't even tell he/she is a person living with HIV AIDS. That person can still have sex or reproduce, the offspring or the sexual partner can still be tested negative.
The people reporting for testing and treatment is only the tip of the iceberg. Because of stigma and discrimination, less people are coming forward for VCCT services. More awareness and communication are needed to break that barrier. It is not a bad thing for a perfectly healthy person to go and check their HIV status. The good thing is you know your HIV status so that you don't spread it and you are on treatment to keep you live longer.
The onset of the symptoms doesn't show so soon if you get the virus. It can be 3yrs or up to 10yrs the maximum before the symptoms show. For someone without a compromised immune system, the symptoms can take longer than 10yrs to show, while not on medicine, he/she can spread it to so many people unknowingly.
HIV has been around in PNG for almost 2 decades, how much people know about prevention method, the high risk group, the infection itself, support services, methods of contraction and transmission is still a big question.
The message here is, HIV AIDS is here to stay and will continue to kill and destroy lives. Seek information from your nearest health care provider and share it amongst your peers, your work groups, sports team, your family, your children and don't discriminate because HIV AIDS does not discriminate.
Everyday there are positive cases reported at VCCT sites for treatment and everyday health facilities right around the nation is running low on ART drugs.
A person suffering from HIV AIDS must take his/her medicine everyday for the rest of their life. One day missed treatment and the virus multiplies, a week and all the ARTs taken earlier are just a waste.
The virus doesn't die, taking medicine everyday suppress its ability to spread, and so it goes away and sleep, not in the blood but in the organs and tissues and so there is less viral load in the blood stream.
An infected person on ART drugs consistently and faithfully for more than 3-5months, the virus in the blood is decreased so low that you can't even tell he/she is a person living with HIV AIDS. That person can still have sex or reproduce, the offspring or the sexual partner can still be tested negative.
The people reporting for testing and treatment is only the tip of the iceberg. Because of stigma and discrimination, less people are coming forward for VCCT services. More awareness and communication are needed to break that barrier. It is not a bad thing for a perfectly healthy person to go and check their HIV status. The good thing is you know your HIV status so that you don't spread it and you are on treatment to keep you live longer.
The onset of the symptoms doesn't show so soon if you get the virus. It can be 3yrs or up to 10yrs the maximum before the symptoms show. For someone without a compromised immune system, the symptoms can take longer than 10yrs to show, while not on medicine, he/she can spread it to so many people unknowingly.
HIV has been around in PNG for almost 2 decades, how much people know about prevention method, the high risk group, the infection itself, support services, methods of contraction and transmission is still a big question.
The message here is, HIV AIDS is here to stay and will continue to kill and destroy lives. Seek information from your nearest health care provider and share it amongst your peers, your work groups, sports team, your family, your children and don't discriminate because HIV AIDS does not discriminate.
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| Nurses of Catholic Health Services, East Sepik, with Dr.Millan after a day's session on HIV AIDS and STIs |
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