Healthy Soch
Mother-to-child transmission of the disease can only be prevented through targeted efforts
New Delhi, January 31, 2019: About 80 adolescents will be dying of AIDS every day globally by 2030 if progress in preventing transmission is not accelerated, according to a report by the UNICEF. The report mentions that the current trends indicate that AIDS-related deaths and new infections are slowing, but the downward trajectory is not happening fast enough. Programmes to treat the virus and prevent it from spreading among older children are nowhere near where they should be.
Currently, three million persons 19 years and younger, are infected with HIV worldwide. Two million new infections could be averted by 2030, if global targets are met — this means providing adequate access to HIV prevention, care and treatment services, and testing and diagnosis. Many infected children and adolescents are unaware of their illness, and even when tested HIV-positive, rarely adhere to proper treatment.
Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr KK Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, “The HIV virus remains concealed in the reservoir cells; for this reason, the HIV infection, which is in remission with antiretroviral drugs (ART), becomes active again as soon as ART is discontinued. Killing these latent reservoirs is therefore essential to achieving cure. Scientists are better equipped today, both with knowledge and technology, which raises hopes of finding a cure. HIV/AIDS also continues to affect the Indian population despite various mass awareness campaigns, availability of various state-of-the-art medical interventions, and evolving technology. A large part of this is also due to the social stigma that our society has associated with the disease. This is also one reason why people avoid routine checkups. There is an urgent need to educate the masses about the various disease prevention measures along with the fact that people with HIV can live a normal life.”
The UNICEF report cites a global target reduction in the number of HIV-infected children by 2030 to 1.4 million. However, the projected number of 1.9 million, shows that the world is off-track by around 500,000.
Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Group Editor-in-Chief of IJCP, said, “HIV can spread from an infected woman to her child during pregnancy and childbirth. It can also be passed from a mother to her child through breastfeeding. All pregnant mothers should get HIV test done. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) should be started at the earliest to prevent HIV transmission to sexual or drug using partner/s or from the mother to the infant during pregnancy or breastfeeding.”
Some other facts
- ABC for safe sex: Abstain, Be faithful to your partner and if you cannot, use Condoms.
- Drinking alcohol or taking drugs interferes with judgment. Even those who understand the risks of AIDS and the importance of safer sex may become careless after drinking or using drugs.
- People with STIs should seek prompt treatment and avoid sexual intercourse or practice safe sex.
- Used infected razor blades, knives or tools that cut or pierce the skin also carry some risk of spreading HIV.
- HIV-positive people may remain asymptomatic but can still pass on the virus to others.
