We live in a world where there is love, happiness and beauty.
We live in a world where there are wars, injustice and pain.
We live in a world where there is HIV and AIDS.
Every day we wake up and continue our way: we work, communicate with friends and relatives, worry about children and care about parents, rejoice and suffer, rest and work. But we do not become different, we just live and enjoy life.
The world is amazing with its diversity. Communication and friendship is one of the ways to recognize the world. HIV is not transmitted through friendship and communication. Only our fears can limit us to make us weaker and more hostile.
People with HIV and without HIV equally feel love, pain, joy, fear, sympathy, resentment - the disease does not make a person to others, does not deprive him of the ability to see, understand, feel. The world is not divided into HIV-positive and HIV-negative, it is equally beautiful for everyone.
The problem of HIV/AIDS is currently all the same acute and relevant, and above all, for those people whose life has been directly related to HIV infection. Every year the number of HIV-infected people is growing. Currently, in Belarus, the total number of registered cases of HIV infection is 22.5 thousand. Medical help is turned to a variety of people, often socially prosperous, which contradicts the formed opinion that only one who constantly and grossly violates generally accepted social norms can become infected. In recent years, the share of the sexual route HIV transmission is more than 70% of all newly identified cases. To date, the degree of distribution of the disease is such that people with HIV live in every city and can be in any team, and even in the nearest circle of communication. You can know about it, or not know, you can ignore the problem of HIV/AIDS and its development in the modern world, or you can think about it.
The history of the emergence of this problem contributed to the emergence of prejudice in the society in relation to infected people. In fact, insufficient awareness of transmission routes and clinical manifestations
HIV - infections, the idea that AIDS is always a logical result of immoral and antisocial behavior led to the fact that the diagnosis of HIV infection has become a "stigma". The reason for stigmatization in relation to HIV-infected people is often the lack of knowledge, the spread of simplified and distorted ideas about the ways of infection of HIV and transmission routes of infection. People can perceive HIV-infected as a threat of their personal security, treats them hostilely, trying to protect themselves from them in a variety of ways up to open discrimination and even isolation. But the more in our society there will be a correct understanding of the problem, and not the premises and unreasonable fears, the more benefits not only for people with HIV infection, but also for healthy people. After all, HIV infection is not transmitted by airborne droplets, not transmitted during handshake or other household contact. It is important to understand that this infection penetrates only through blood and in sexual contact with the HIV carrier. And an HIV-positive woman can convey the virus to the unborn child.
For a long time, the disease can violate the usual contacts of a person with others, limit the possibilities of labor activity or make it impossible to continue, deprive the sick prospects and require reorientation in basic activities. HIV infection is no exception. The adaptation of people with HIV infection to new living conditions, as well as their awareness of their new life situation, is committed in continuous interaction with people around them. Yes, this diagnosis requires a revision of lifestyle, a scale of values and a relationship to yourself. But he will not stop living further, to achieve some important goals, get a family and plan your future. Indeed, today there are medicines that suspend the development of HIV infection, contribute to the extension of life and improve its quality. In any case, life does not end on a positive result of the test on HIV. Yes, such a diagnosis dictates the need to reconsider his life, but a person who has a family, a sexual partner who has a job, and most important support is able to decide how to behave in all these areas and roles, living with this diagnosis. To whom to inform, and who do not inform about their status, how to protect loved ones from infection, how to protect themselves from infections that weaken the immune system, how to cooperate with doctors. Yes, of course, this diagnosis “requires” compliance with certain conditions and some restrictions, but this is not a death sentence and not an insulator in which a person is and from where he is not able to break free. And, of course, people living with HIV do not pose any danger to others in ordinary, everyday life.
Today, the main thing is to realize that HIV/AIDS is part of our life and fulfill simple rules that will help to protect themselves. This is much more useful and logical than trying to pretend that it does not concern me personally and never touches me. After all, in fact, this can happen to any of us or our loved ones. The main thing is not to be afraid and know where you can get information and help.
In this world there is a lot of what we would like to save, and there is what we would like to change, but not all in our power.
We can change our attitude to those whom the HIV/AIDS epidemic has affected personally. It depends only on us: whether this world will become a little kinder, brighter and joyful.
Do not violate the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. This can affect everyone.
I came to this world
Not to justify your hopes,
Not in order to answer your interests,
Not in order to match your expectations.
And you came to this world
Not in order to match my expectations,
Not in order to answer my interests,
Not to justify my hopes.
Because I am me, and you are you.
But if we met and understood each other, then this is great!
And if not - well, sad
HIV/AIDS Prevention Department GU RTsGeoz