Did you know that HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest
maladies, trouble, ills in our society today. One of the
diseases responsible for the death of many people around
the world. It is one of the leading causes of deaths among
young children. The spread of this infection can be
stopped through prevention, education, treatment and care
and support to persons with HIV.
What is HIV and AIDS?
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that
causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a
pandemic that is spreading around the world, infecting to
date more than 33 million individuals worldwide. The vast
majority of individuals and young people living with HIV
or AIDS are in Sub-Saharan Africa countries including
Nigeria.
HIV is a virus that can make you sick. It weakens the
immune system, the body’s built-in defense against disease
and illness. A person can have HIV without knowing it. A
person may not look or feel sick for years, but you can
still pass the virus on to other people. Without HIV
treatment, the immune system of an infected person can
become too weak to fight serious illness. HIV can also
damage other parts of the body. Eventually, a person with
HIV can become sick with life-threatening infections. This
is the most serious stage of HIV infection, called
AIDS.
There is no cure for HIV, but with proper care and
treatment, most people with HIV cannot get AIDS and can
stay healthy for a long time.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is
final, life threaten stage of infection with HIV. AIDS
refers to fact that HIV severely damages the immune system
in the body, which is the most important defense against
disease. Cases of AIDS were first identified in 1981
America and since then million of AIDS cases have been
diagnosed worldwide.
Who can get HIV?
Anyone can be infected with HIV, no matter.
- Your age
- Your sex
- Your race or ethnic origin
- Your educational level or family wealth/influence
How is HIV transmitted?
HIV can get passed between you and someone else:
- Through any form of unprotected sex
- By sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs
- Unscreened blood transfusion
- Mother-to-child transmission
- Sharing of tooth brush
HIV cannot also be passed by:
- Talking, shaking hands, working or eating with someone who has HIV
- Cough or sneezes
- Sharing swimming pools with infected person
- Sharing toilet seats or sitting with someone with HIV
- Sharing bed sheets or towels and cutlery with someone with HIV
- Insects or animal bite
Why is it important to learn about HIV and AIDS
Thousands of people are infected and children are being
orphaned because of HIV/AIDS. If the increasing incidence
of HIV/AIDS is not addressed there will be decreased
productivity and economic losses in the areas of
education, agriculture, tourism, mining, lumber, finance
and trade.
At present, there is “No” cure for
HIV/AIDS. The best we can do to prevent this disease from
spreading and taking more lives, is to educate and create
awareness. Knowledge is power.
The essence of this lecture is to “Increase awareness of
safe practices to prevent HIV infection in students by
being more careful and ultimately decreases infection
rate.”
Since youths are the future of tomorrow, committed and
determined efforts have to be realized in order to curb
the staggering statistics of HIV/AIDS among youth
worldwide. The fight against the HIV/AIDS and the
prevention of the disease requires the collective
responsibilty of individuals, students, schools, community
group, and every one.
Over half of all new infection worldwide are among young
people between the ages of 15 ans 24. Every day, it is
estimated that 6,000 young people especially the females
become infected with HIV-implying that more than five
youth every minute. Further, less than one-third of young
people worldwide know how to protect themselves from HIV.
Their vulnerability is made higher by their behavior
patterns, modes of socialization, peer pressure,
prevailing concepts of masculinity, alcohol and drug
abuse.
Further, behavioral practice such as “sugar-daddy/mummy”
liaisons, sexual experimentation, prostitution,
unprotected casual sex, and gender violence and having
multiple sexual partners have exacerbated the spread of
the pandemic among students.
HIV is preventable and prevention works. The returns on
preventing infections among young people are enormous with
HIV prevention, youths will be able to reach their dreams
and make positive contributions to the society.
As students, are we vulnerable to HIV?
Youths view themselves as being unique and as such immune
to disease and death. Their thinking is that something bad
will happen to someone else, not them. In the case of
HIV/AIDS, youth may view others as being vulnerable to the
disease while they are invulnerable. This personal fable
can lead the adolescent to engage in risky behavior and/or
not use precautions when engaging in sexual activity.
The most important factor in transmission of HIV is the
sexual contact between the youths. Due to excitement which
is very common in today’s youth, they have sexual contact
with a number of partners. Thus, if a youth has sexual
contact with anyone who is or who might be infected with
the virus he transmits it. Such stuff should be avoided.
The most important and effective preventive strategy is to
refrain from all the sexual intimacy
(ABSTINENCE).
Preventing drug abuse and educating young drug users about
AIDS are important approaches to control HIV infection.
Drug users share needles, syringes, razors and other
equipment which make them risk contracting HIV.
Preventing discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS is
important not only for moral reasons but also to maintain
public health. When people aren’t afraid of discrimination
they are more likely to seek earlier counseling and to be
tested for HIV infection. This leads to less risky
behavior and early diagnosis and treatment.
Sharing information on HIV/AIDS with friends, family
members and community members can help them take
appropriate actions to prevent the transmission of HIV and
seek treatment where necessary.
Role of the school
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- Promote abstinence and necessary support system for its success.
- Help students develop attitudes, values and beliefs that support making healthy choices and a delayed sexual debut/initiation
- Engage in classroom activities that allow students to learn and practice real-life such as refusing pressures, negotiating safer choices or seeking help when troubled.
- Facilitate steps to increase parent-child communicating about relationships and sexuality
- Regular education on HIV/AIDS during awareness/campaign.
- Establishment of HIV – clubs and counseling programs.
- Enabling environment to discourage stigmatization and discrimination.
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