Gambia: Know Your Status
By, The Daily Observer (Banjul), November 2, 2006
The toll of HIV/AIDS on our population cannot be overemphasised. And since it is the duty of every responsible citizen, including ourselves, to deal with this horrible disease in whatever ways we can, we have no choice but to continue talking about it - especially to discuss some of the ways in which we can prevent further infection and to find ways of reducing the impact on those already living with the virus.
It is always encouraging to hear leaders from different spheres of life encouraging people to go for HIV testing, because that is one of the ways in which the virus can be contained.
While we are extremely aware that there is more to fighting HIV/AIDS than just taking the HIV test, we feel it is extremely important that each one of us is aware of their HIV status. Knowing one's status saves lives, whether one is positive or negative. It helps to prolong the lives of those living with the virus because they can begin taking the necessary treatment at an earlier time when the disease is not in the advanced stages and thus have more chances of living productive lives.
If a person's CD4 count is still at a reasonable level, there may not even be a need for treatment. A good diet may be enough to enable one living with the virus to live much longer and still lead a productive life. Knowing one's status also helps those who are positive because they will know how to protect others.Those who are negative should try to lead responsible lives and ensure that they maintain their status.
However, all these benefits can only be gained if each one of us is bold enough to know our HIV status. This is why time and again, we passionately encourage everyone to go for voluntary counselling and testing.
With figures already showing that the percentage of people dying from HIV/AIDS related diseases is going down in many Western countries because of anti-retrovival treatment, it is not necessary for people to continue dying as a result of HIV/AIDS. People who are not willing to go for HIV testing will remain an obstacle in the fight against the killer disease.
With the benefit that go with people knowing their HIV status, there is no need for people to remain in the closet, bury their heads in the sand and deliberately refuse to know their status.
The Gambia we want to build is The Gambia of healthy people.
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200611020802.html
The toll of HIV/AIDS on our population cannot be overemphasised. And since it is the duty of every responsible citizen, including ourselves, to deal with this horrible disease in whatever ways we can, we have no choice but to continue talking about it - especially to discuss some of the ways in which we can prevent further infection and to find ways of reducing the impact on those already living with the virus.
It is always encouraging to hear leaders from different spheres of life encouraging people to go for HIV testing, because that is one of the ways in which the virus can be contained.
While we are extremely aware that there is more to fighting HIV/AIDS than just taking the HIV test, we feel it is extremely important that each one of us is aware of their HIV status. Knowing one's status saves lives, whether one is positive or negative. It helps to prolong the lives of those living with the virus because they can begin taking the necessary treatment at an earlier time when the disease is not in the advanced stages and thus have more chances of living productive lives.
If a person's CD4 count is still at a reasonable level, there may not even be a need for treatment. A good diet may be enough to enable one living with the virus to live much longer and still lead a productive life. Knowing one's status also helps those who are positive because they will know how to protect others.Those who are negative should try to lead responsible lives and ensure that they maintain their status.
However, all these benefits can only be gained if each one of us is bold enough to know our HIV status. This is why time and again, we passionately encourage everyone to go for voluntary counselling and testing.
With figures already showing that the percentage of people dying from HIV/AIDS related diseases is going down in many Western countries because of anti-retrovival treatment, it is not necessary for people to continue dying as a result of HIV/AIDS. People who are not willing to go for HIV testing will remain an obstacle in the fight against the killer disease.
With the benefit that go with people knowing their HIV status, there is no need for people to remain in the closet, bury their heads in the sand and deliberately refuse to know their status.
The Gambia we want to build is The Gambia of healthy people.
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200611020802.html
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 5:12 pm
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