Comments - Latest Popular Stories, Instablogs Community by Rrhodel

Neha Mahajan

Neha Mahajan — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

It is hard to see such things still happening even after years of struggle and awareness campaigns. We live in a society that boasts of education and open mindedness and alo equality to every life.

I congratulate you on bringing this issue up again and letting all of us know what pain and dilemma the patient goes thru.. and by getting more aware about it, may be we can help reduce the emotional pain!

Sanwali

Sanwali — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

More the awareness is spread on AIDS in the society, less are the chances of misunderstandings and the discrimination. People who are victim to this disease are in a desperate need of help and there should be certain guidelines which can help them to get a proper medication for themselves in order to lead a better life that they deserve.

Grace Calderon

Grace Calderon — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

At this point, there is something more than awareness and education on AIDS that is imperative. We have gone past the time when ignorance is what kills the afflicted. There is something that was left behind in the march towards awareness of the disease.

Today, the silence brought about by shame, which in turn, is brought about by the stigma, is what’s killing the victims. The afflicted still chooses to keep the condition under wraps.

People created that stigma.

A judgemental society, bursting at the seams with arrogance and bias of every form, is what’s killing the victims of AIDS!

Scott

Scott — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

yes it is. AIDS is still an epidemic insurmountable. once effected with is a guarantee that the person will meet the premature death as there are hardly any measures that can cure the ghastly disease.

Dale

Dale — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

No that is not exactly the case all the time. I have several friends who have been HIV positive for over 20 years and whose AIDS as such hasn’t yet manifested. even though I again the one who have lost several friends through AIDS, some got it from blood-transfusions, others from their unprotected gay sexual activities, and others who were drug-addicts and got it from sharing dirty needles.

Brett

Brett — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

yes Dale is right when say “not all the times”, but it is more often than not. but here I would add surely that if it is not the death sentence it is surely the debt sentence. the treatment is too expensive and is only life-prolonging, not a full cure. so that depends on the available treatments and if the person affected could afford it or not.

Shaun

Shaun — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Sure, AIDS treatment is expensive, but the question is do we have alternative? and the sorry answer is, no. one of my relative faced a similar situation, he used all his money and insurance and then went on Medicare until he died. I don’t think he was thinking about blowing his retirement or going into debt as he was slowly dying - the medications basically gave him an extra 8-10 years of life he wouldn’t have had otherwise. with these we can buy our near and dear one some time to live lo live longer even when they are destined to...

Earnest

Earnest — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I agree with everyone above, however, the HIV/Aids drug battle is not always about money. Some drug companies have offered at least some of the best drugs free for prevention of mother to infant transmission in developing countries. Yet there are organized groups who attempted to convince the government of South Africa not to participate in these programs. These groups variously claim that HIV does not exist, or that HIV is harmless and that Aids is a “lifestyle” disease.

Rolande Hodel

Rolande Hodel — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Thank you for your comments and thank you Instablog staff for restoring the title and taking the picture out.

The whole point is that HIV/AIDS is not a disease of old, black, male, but young women of color, black or latina. AIDSfreeAFRICA volunteer JEssica Kim has her work cut out for herself, and I am excited that she is so determined to hit the road and teach about HIV/AIDS and Stigma at a time when I thought we surely had past that point. Oh, no we sure did not.