HIV/AIDS IN OUR SOCIETY

 By:

MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA (NTA ZARIA)

     AIDS is a deadly disease that has no cure up to present, it is the disease that leaves vulnerable to life threatening, it causes very harmful germ which broke the body immunity that is capable of depending any penetration of germ and virus into the body.

     HIV and AIDS are acronyms and the full meaning of the two words can be illustrated below:

H – Human,     I – Immunodeficiency,    V – Virus.

HIV is the virus that infects human being and causes a serious degeneration of the body immune system. While on the other hand AIDS mean

A – Acquired,   I – Immune, D – Deficiency, S - Syndrome.

   The disease could be found in large quantities in the blood, vaginal secretion and in breast milk of the nursing mother, and the primary modes of transmitting the disease are as follows:-

*         Sexual relations with an infected person.

§     Sharing needles and other sharp objects contaminated with infected blood.

§     Blood transfusions (transfer) from an infected person e.g. infected mother to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth or even through breast feeding.

     The ugly and the most dangerous mark of AIDS appear to be the worst end of our society especially the growing age people in Africa. This is because even in Nigeria alone the world wide burden of HIV/AIDS is about 8% which mostly found in our youth prevalence in the age group 15 – 24 years, it was also believed that the highest agent for transmitting the disease was through sexual relations mostly casual sex which has higher degree of infection on young women far than in young men. This was also disclosed by the ’11 population-based studies’ that the average rates in teenage girls were over five times higher than those in teenage boys

     The impacts of HIV/AIDS were already known clear to the people especially how it undermines the development of a given country socially, economically and politically.

     Among the social implications of HIV/AIDS includes falling in life expectancy, increasing the number of orphans as well as the destruction of family and community structures among others. In some African countries where just less than 10% of the adult population has HIV infection almost 80% of all deaths in young adults aged 25 – 45 are associated with HIV. This no doubt reduces the life expectancy indices of the inhabitant of that particular country.  And the premature death of half of the adult population, typically at the ages of when they have already started to form their standard families and have become economically active and productive, can be expected to have a radical effect on virtually every aspect of social life.

     The economic impact of HIV/AIDS in the society can be seen negatively by the way of reducing work force in the society that is the productive force of the society has now become hampered.

  However as long as there is low productive agent especially labour in various economic sectors like Agriculture, industry, transportation so the productivity will drastically fall paving the way through which poverty can be spread. By considering the nature of vicious cycle of poverty as low productivity – low income – low savings – low investment – under capacity utilisation of factor - unemployment of factor (labour) and the end result will be the absolute poverty.

The prevalence of the burden of HIV/AIDS affects the political activities of that particular country. Especially in the way of international and diplomatic relationship with other countries in the world. Certain privileges happen to escape from that country with high burden of HIV/AIDS. And as such deteriorate the political development of the country. 

      HIV/AIDS epidemic are already into its third decade and increasing prevalence of HIV infection in many areas of the world especially in Africa and Latin America. So for this reason a new effort have to be focused on ways of achieving HIV prevention and control. The preventive measure can be remembered by the acronym A, B, C, D, E, F, G……

A – Abstinence. This means not having any casual sex especially premarital sexual intercourse since even our religions does not allowed sex outside marriage. This is the most reliable way of self prevention of HIV/AIDS.

B - Being faithful to one uninfected sexual partner.

C – Correct and consistent use of condom if you must have sex.

D – Desist from sharing sharp instruments or objects with other people and don’t allow transfusion of unscreened blood or blood product.

E – Encourage testing before marriage or having an affair with your partner.

F – Free of humiliation by telling your partner your status.

G – Government should initiate a substantial support to the victim of HIV/AIDS by providing to them modern medicine that will make them to feel alright and make them to be part of proud citizens. This will make them to contribute their quota for the development of the country.

At this juncture I want to use this opportunity to warn and advise our people on the danger that is involved in the disease of HIV/AIDS we should abide by the rules as mentioned above to prevent ourselves from getting infected. And we should not run away from the positively infected people because they are part and parcel of us and they need our assistance all the time.