Dotted Fragments

            Every six seconds, someone is infected by AIDS.

            For the past three days, I’ve been thinking of the best approach in writing the AIDS issue on my blog. So many people have tackled the topic. A lot of documentaries have already been made, so what I have to say is really nothing new, yet I still have hope that someone would listen…and an even greater hope that someone would take action.

Since I saw the “One” campaign at MTV, I’ve wanted to visit their website. Four days ago, I finally got to do what I wanted—I visited the site, but because it was really intended for Americans, I was directed to staying-alive.org instead.

It was here where I learned the approximated number of people infected with the virus—a staggering 38 million individuals! It was not even updated yet. The data was based on the UNAIDS Regional HIV/AIDS statistics conducted at the end of 2003. Considering their claim that someone is infected every six seconds, at least seven million more people are now added to the list, and I don’t even know how many more would be added by the time I finish writing this entry.

According to the data sheet, the Sub-Saharan Africa houses 25 million of the 38 million people living with AIDS. That’s more than 65% of the total AIDS population. South and

Southeast Asia

combined followed the lead with around 6.5 million people. Even the

Oceania

region has 32,000 people living with the infection (please visit the staying-alive.org for more information).

I don’t even know how AIDS originated but I’m greatly aghast by the speed of its dispersal. I’m even more amazed by the ingenuity of its mechanism. It attacks the immune system, making the carrier susceptible to an even greater number of other diseases.

With the alarming rate at which it is spread, AIDS is now the leading cause of death among those aged 15-59 worldwide. It has just been over twenty years since the first clinical evidence of the disease, yet an approximated 20 million people have already died from it. About a quarter of the 38 million with the virus are 15-24 years of age. Approximately 6000 new infections per day are within the same age bracket. 62% of the young people with AIDS are girls.

I’ve always wanted to help people, and for a long time now, I’ve been seeking ways on how to do it. When I saw the one.com ad, I saw an opportunity presenting itself. I may not be able to personally reach out to those with AIDS and help them individually but I believe I could still be of help.

I find that the best way to help at the moment is by not being one of them—through avoidance of the ever-growing list of the people suffering from the disease, and to make others aware of the magnitude of the circumstances, so that they, too, would understand the gravity of the situation. And if at least one of the readers would share what he/she learned from this entry, then this article would have served its purpose.

Plunging into a sexual activity without ample amount of knowledge and protection is like sentencing oneself to a long-term suicide. A few minutes of carnal pleasure could cost a person his/her life and a lot more lives afterwards.

Spread awareness not the virus.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 20th, 2005 at 8:20 pm and is filed under Current Affairs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.