Nov
29
Around forty million people are living with HIV throughout the world - and that number increases in every region every day. In the UK alone, more than 60,000 people are living with HIV and more than 7,000 more are diagnosed every year. Ignorance and prejudice are fuelling the spread of a preventable disease.
World AIDS Day, 1 December is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This year, it’s up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice.
OK, so this is what WE need to do:
- Wear a red ribbon as a sign of support for the 40 million people living with HIV worldwide, and encourage your friends and family to wear red ribbons as a sign that together we can stop the spread of HIV and bring an end to prejudice. Or you can just wear a virtual one, like the one I found. You can get one here, otherwise I am sure you can find one in the Internet.
- Talk to people. Your sister, colleague, neighbour, boss, client. Talking openly about HIV to your friends, family, colleagues or pupils is one of the most powerful ways of ending prejudice and preventing the spread of HIV. Bust AIDS-related myths. Or you can read personal stories of discrimination here and share them with your friends.
- Get involved in events. Attend one of the World AIDS Day events in your area. Run your own awareness activity. Organize a talk about it. Blog about it. Read about it.
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Yay! Comments fixed =) I still remember the very first time an AIDS patient died in the little kampung/town I was staying in. All his possessions were burnt and my dad and some other doctors plus nurses were quarantined for a bit of time. Scary disease it is.
pelf: Your dad is a doctor? < -- Non-related, I know. I heard from my Mum that a relative's relative died of AIDS (many years ago) and the nurses adviced his family members to cremate him instead of burying him. His family didn't know what was wrong with him, and the nurses said, "Penyakit malu."
It’s sad how ignorance is preventing us from dignifying some AIDS patients. In school, many moons ago, there was this guy who got AIDS from a blood transfusion, in the days when screening blood for HIV hasn’t started.
Precious few people would even want to be seen with him, and he had to sit in a corner of the classroom, and eat alone in the canteen.
pelf: Oh my.. This is sad. And it wasn’t even his fault, and in fact he was the victim! Is there any chance he’s still around today?
Give them some diginity … we’re all humans.
pelf: Yes, cheers..
Yeap. My dad’s a doctor. Did his mandatory government service back in the days when doctors were paid less than 1k and we got posted really really far away from home haha
pelf: Far far away from home means where la?