Saturday, February 12, 2005
Losing the war
If anybody wanted proof that we in SVG are losing the AIDS war then a peep at this week's newspapers would confirm it. The News newspaper cover story was about HIV women having babies.And I quote "last year, some 25 pregnant women in SVG tested HIV positive and instead of abstaining, or practising safe sex, 9 of these same women, were pregnant for the second time after being told they were HIV positive."
As if that was not bad enough another weekly reported the Health Minister as saying "The message about the dangers of unprotected sex does not seem to be getting through to many of this country's citizens. And many persons, especially men are not concerned whether their partners have HIV/AIDS or not"
Does this mean we are very stupid people,misinformed or just indifferent? I vote for stupid and indifferent because the Ministry of Health has been actively promoting HIV awareness.I would have liked the report to say the age range of these women,if they pregnant by the same men and if the first babies were healthy.Maybe the time has come to make names public-not that I am even sure it would make any difference.
Heard a story last night about a NYC man whose doctors believe he is infected with a new "drug-resistant and rapidly progressing" strain of the deadly disease.I had to sit up and take notice because between December when he was diagnosed and now he has full blown AIDS.Scary stuff.
As if that was not bad enough another weekly reported the Health Minister as saying "The message about the dangers of unprotected sex does not seem to be getting through to many of this country's citizens. And many persons, especially men are not concerned whether their partners have HIV/AIDS or not"
Does this mean we are very stupid people,misinformed or just indifferent? I vote for stupid and indifferent because the Ministry of Health has been actively promoting HIV awareness.I would have liked the report to say the age range of these women,if they pregnant by the same men and if the first babies were healthy.Maybe the time has come to make names public-not that I am even sure it would make any difference.
Heard a story last night about a NYC man whose doctors believe he is infected with a new "drug-resistant and rapidly progressing" strain of the deadly disease.I had to sit up and take notice because between December when he was diagnosed and now he has full blown AIDS.Scary stuff.
# posted by Abeni @ 8:11 AM 
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"New drug-resistant strain?" Scary, scary, stuff! Why don't people care? They believe it can't happen to them, they don't value their health an' their life, or they see infected people livin' like everyfing's fine, so they're not so afraid ov contractin' it any more. But de children are de ones who'll suffer de most, Kami. Doc has a post about schools turnin' away infected students who might have been born infected through de mother's indiscretion. Tough stuff happenin' in de Caribbean, man, 'cause if there IS a drug-resistant strain, it won't take long to reach de Indies.
Well I have always said that Africa and the Caribbean are pretty fertile ground for the spread of HIV/AIDS.
It is because there is so much taboo in regards to sex. The honesty and openess about sex is zero in both places. Everybody is having sex but nobody is really talking about it.
We need agressive campaigns that bombard people all the time but we wont see that either. Bim however has been able to have impactful awarness programs. What is the ingredient they have that is missing in the rest of the Caribbean?
It is because there is so much taboo in regards to sex. The honesty and openess about sex is zero in both places. Everybody is having sex but nobody is really talking about it.
We need agressive campaigns that bombard people all the time but we wont see that either. Bim however has been able to have impactful awarness programs. What is the ingredient they have that is missing in the rest of the Caribbean?
To the person who was but but but about sex.....being soooo good, I will simply say that I hope you practice the goodness safely.
Kami, there are people out there who seem not to care. There are still men who not putting on no 'boots' when dem have sex. There are people who feel dem 'cyaan get AIDS!' All this despite pretty graphic public education programmes. Bim may have an edge over us here in Jamaica because the vast majority of Bim's people are EDUCATED!
A few months back we had an HIV Pos. woman on our ward (there's harly a time when we don't in recent times have at least one in hospital on our service)....girl is 32..diagnosed Positive some 3 years ago in New York. When the Doc who admitted her was going through her sexual history and trying to assess her risk factors...she mentions the 'new boyfriend' of three months. So, my colleague asks if the new bf is aware of her HIV status. No, she "fraid to tell him 'cause him might lef her!" Of course, when asked if she having sex with condoms...."Not all de time!" Trust me, if I was the one admitting her, I woulda ask her if she want to branded as a wicked murderer. We eventually convinced her to tell him of her status and he was tested, so far he negative. I think he has broke off the realtionship.
These people just don't get the message. Is a sad state of affairs. Dr. D.
Kami, there are people out there who seem not to care. There are still men who not putting on no 'boots' when dem have sex. There are people who feel dem 'cyaan get AIDS!' All this despite pretty graphic public education programmes. Bim may have an edge over us here in Jamaica because the vast majority of Bim's people are EDUCATED!
A few months back we had an HIV Pos. woman on our ward (there's harly a time when we don't in recent times have at least one in hospital on our service)....girl is 32..diagnosed Positive some 3 years ago in New York. When the Doc who admitted her was going through her sexual history and trying to assess her risk factors...she mentions the 'new boyfriend' of three months. So, my colleague asks if the new bf is aware of her HIV status. No, she "fraid to tell him 'cause him might lef her!" Of course, when asked if she having sex with condoms...."Not all de time!" Trust me, if I was the one admitting her, I woulda ask her if she want to branded as a wicked murderer. We eventually convinced her to tell him of her status and he was tested, so far he negative. I think he has broke off the realtionship.
These people just don't get the message. Is a sad state of affairs. Dr. D.
# posted by 
: 1:59 PM
: 1:59 PM
That is definately scary Kami, I tell you straight up that there is much insanity even up north as you know well. People don't understand that sex isn't a game and one night of pleasure can lead to a lifetime of suffering. Wrap it up! Wrap it up! Wrap it up! And if you don't have the wherewithall to practice safe sex, then leave it alone! No sex is better than death in my book.
Kami, I just hope you will make the right chose. You see it makes more difference what we chose than what others chose.
I think many folk think that they cant catch it. Also we have this misconception that the person doesnt look sick so they dont have anything. Its a risk and lots of folk take it and then the pay the penalty
Hi Kami, We keep hearing the horror stories but people hear it but don't hear it. you have people out there spreading it deliberately because "mi nah dead by miself". The responsibility is yours protect your own life.
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