HIV & AIDS DISEASE PREVENTION / AWARENESS

by Jude Rhenzo Olivo, Rotaract Club of San Antonio de Padua

UNAIDS stated that 650,000 people were lost to AIDS and 1.5 million people newly acquired HIV in 2021. The World Health Organization (WHO) urges everyone to redouble the efforts in avoiding the worst-case scenario of 7.7 million HIV-related deaths over the next 10 years due to the proliferating count of people acquiring HIV. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 38.4 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2021, two-thirds of whom around 25.6 million were in the African region. In March 2022, a total of 1,539 confirmed HIV-positive individuals were reported and there were 97,792 HIV Cases recorded from January 1984 to March 2022 with 5,548 deaths in total, according to the Department of Health.

1. What are HIV and AIDS?

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and it weakens a person’s immune system by destroying CD4 + Cells. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which is the most advanced stage of HIV Infection.

2. Signs and Symptoms of HIV and AIDS?

People living with HIV-positive tend to be most infectious in the first few months of being infected wherein many are unaware of their status until the later stages. In the first few weeks after the initial infection, they may experience no symptoms or influenza-like illnesses such as fever, headache, rash, or sore throat. As the infection progresses and weakens the immune system, they may develop swollen lymph nodes, unexplained weight loss, continuous diarrhea, and cough. Without treatment, these may lead to severe illnesses such as tuberculosis, cryptococcal meningitis, severe bacterial infections, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and other cancers.

3. How is it transmitted?

HIV can be transmitted via blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal secretions and may also be transmitted from a mother to a child during pregnancy and delivery. This is not transmitted via kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing food or water.

4. What makes you susceptible to the disease?

A. having unprotected anal or vaginal coitus

B. acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STI) such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and bacterial vaginosis.

C. sharing of contaminated needles, syringes, or other injecting equipment.

D. accidental needle stick injuries among health care workers.

5. Medical Management

HIV can be managed by using a combination of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, current antiretroviral (ART) does not cure HIV infection but suppresses viral replication and allows an individual’s immune system recovery to strengthen and regain the capacity to fight off opportunistic infection.

6. Prevention

A. Use of condom / Safe Coitus

B. Testing, Counseling for HIV and STI management

C. Voluntary medical male circumcision

D. Use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) for prevention such as Oral PrEP and Long-Acting products, the dapivirine vaginal ring and injectable long-acting cabotegravir

E. Monogamy