Today is World AIDS Day, a 24-hour reminder that the battle against AIDS is still as crucial as ever — and that turning a blind eye to the disease is a disservice to the defense of global human rights. The effects of HIV/AIDS are far less visible in the Western world today than 20 years ago, making it easy to resign the epidemic as an “over there” problem that’s too daunting to tackle.
With a raise in dialogue about a broader spectrum of global concerns — from women’s rights to poverty to education — infectious disease has been woven into a laundry list of overwhelming causes, but none of them are independent of the others. Eradicating violence against women will lead to lower infection rates as a result of rape. Alleviating poverty will help provide access to life-saving drugs. Educating young people will reduce risk as a result of information and dialogue. And the dominoes start falling …
This year, the World AIDS Day theme is Universal Access and Human Rights, emphasizing access to health care, testing and preventative education. As much progress as we’ve made in the US toward treating patients and improving quality of life, Avert.org estimates from reported cases combined with undiagnosed and unreported cases that 1 million Americans are living with full-blown AIDS, and many don’t have the health care options that would secure adequate treatment for longer, healthier lives. Medications do exist and research is on its way, but funding, advocacy and awareness are critical to improving access and quality of care.
On a global scale, the statistics are far more staggering. Consider these basic facts:
- Of children born with HIV, 50 percent won’t live to see their second birthday. (WorldVision.org)
- Around the world, about half of HIV positive individuals contract the virus by age 25 — and die from AIDS by 35. (Avert.org)
- In 2008, there were 33.4 million people around the world living with HIV, 2.7 million people were newly infected with HIV and 2 million people died from AIDS. (World Health Organization)
So what can we do? Here are some suggestions:
- Get tested. Check your own status and learn how you can protect yourself and others from infection. Click here for a directory of testing centers across the country.
- There’s safety in numbers; show your support. Become a Facebook fan of an advocacy group like WorldAids Campaign.
- Chip in. Even a small donation can make a big difference. There are lots of organizations are doing solid and reliable work. A few of our favorites: Partners in Health, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), The Global Fund (through the United Nations Foundation) and amFAR.
- Speak up! Ask your representative to sign on to the Berman-Kirk letter, encouraging President Obama to increase the international affairs budget that supports UNAIDS.
- Know your stuff, then spread the word. Check out this fact-packed video that makes it impossible to ignore what’s at stake — and what we can do to help.