“Patients, concerns about social stigma and discrimination… Hiding the fact of infection and avoiding treatment”
“Each country should strive to improve access to treatment and eliminate social stigma and discrimination.”
December 1st of each year is World AIDS Day. Getty Image Bank
On World AIDS Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that to achieve the goal of ending AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) by 2030, the issue of inequality in disease treatment must be addressed.
In particular, it was emphasized that each country should conduct treatment and prevention activities with an open attitude so that AIDS patients do not hide the fact of infection and avoid treatment out of fear of social stigma or discrimination.
In a statement released on the 1st (local time), the WHO pointed out that “many people infected with HIV, which causes AIDS, do not have access to services that they desperately need, such as antiretroviral treatment, to overcome the disease.”
December 1st of each year is World AIDS Day. This day was designated on December 1, 1988 to raise awareness of the danger of ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)’, which is increasing worldwide, and to reduce discrimination and prejudice against AIDS.
According to WHO, there are 38 million people living with HIV worldwide. Among them, 5.9 million, or 16%, are unable to receive treatment even when they know they are infected with HIV.
This includes cases where medical services around patients are weak or their own economic conditions are not good, and there are cases where patients avoid treatment due to concerns about social stigma.
In fact, many people are infected with HIV but have not even been diagnosed with it. WHO estimates that there may be 4 million undiagnosed HIV infections.
In particular, the exclusion of children from HIV treatment is considered an important obstacle to ending AIDS.
Children are often infected by HIV-infected mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
While 76% of adults infected with HIV are receiving antiretroviral treatment, only 52% of children with HIV are receiving treatment as of last year.
WHO emphasized the need for countries to make efforts to ensure that AIDS treatment services are provided without discrimination even in low-income and marginalized areas, while preventing patients from experiencing social stigma or discrimination.
AIDS was also found to be related to a group of patients with ‘Mpox’ (formerly known as monkeypox). M smallpox has been pointed out as a difficulty in the process of coping with the disease because patients are afraid of the gaze of people around them and are reluctant to seek treatment because of the characteristic that many cases are infected through sexual contact between men.
According to the WHO, 52% of Mpox patients were also infected with HIV.
The WHO suggested that the community should be open to treatment and prevention activities so that patients do not tend to hide their infection.
Dr. Meg Doherty, who is in charge of HIV-related work at WHO, said, “No matter who has AIDS or where they live, treatment services should not be denied. ” he said.
Lee Seung-gu Online News Reporter [email protected]
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