HIV:: U.S. President George Bush ignores HIV prevention methods that work!
By Bradford McIntyre
May 29, 2006 - Who is informing the president on HIV and AIDS? Failure of the American president to recognize the need to promote condoms has not only undermined over two decades of HIV prevention methods that work but also, the president’s government policies on HIV/AIDS prevention are endangering lives!
President Bush is not in touch with what works and what doesn’t. He fails to understand the importance of promoting condom use to prevent HIV infections from occurring. Condoms have been used successfully to prevent HIV infections from the time, when HIV was first known to be a sexually transmitted disease!
Due to his faith-based beliefs, President Bush has completely disregarded the successes of HIV/AIDS programs that promote condom use. Preventative information, the need to use a condom, instruction on how to use a condom and providing condoms, should be forefront in HIV preventative efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. This president has undermined the importance of condom usage and instead, promotes fidelity and abstinence as top priorities.
Fidelity and abstinence are known to be of little effect in reducing HIV infection! Many people have been infected with HIV while believing that they were in a monogamous (faithful) relationship. However, their partner was not faithful! Abstinence is a choice but with that comes the need to recognize the importance of using a condom once the person chooses to become active sexually. Individuals who choose abstinence are often infected with HIV because they do not use a condom when they begin a sexual relationship.
We know that in the twenty-five years since the emergence of HIV, there have been nearly 30 million deaths and currently, over 40 million people are infected with human immune deficiency virus (HIV). The President of the United States and others must realize the important role of condoms in prevention of disease.
Consider these points:
HIV does not discriminate and infects people of every age, sex, race, culture, faith and sexual orientation.
Condoms save lives.
Condoms can and do prevent HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Promoting condoms does not promote sexual activity.
Individuals who engage in sex without a condom are at risk of being infected with HIV or multiple HIV exposures, putting themselves and others at risk of HIV infection. When HIV infection occurs, an individual is at risk of being resistant to all the HIV/AIDS drugs that the person who infected them was using.
The number of people infected with HIV who do not get tested is likely in the millions. There are individuals who know they have been infected with HIV but who have opted out of getting tested.
Bradford McIntyre,
HIV+ since 1984
www.PositivelyPositive.ca
Vancouver, Canada
---------------------------
Source: Spirit India
For more HIV and AIDS News visit...
Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News |
