Its Time That We Took HIV/AIDS More Seriously.
As of March this year, some 60,737 Malaysians are HIV carriers while 10,959 others are suffering from AIDS. So says Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
88 percent of those infected by HIV were males who were mostly drug addicts who as we know pass down the disease through the sharing of syringes.
Dr Chua said, some 10,000 HIV carriers in the country would be given anti-retroviral treatment, made possible with the cheaper cost of anti-HIV drugs. Today the anti-retroviral treatment only costs RM150 per patient down from RM1,200 previously.
The figures quoted by the minister are official statistics and if we make allowance for the 'tip of the iceberg' phenomena then we can safely assume that in reality the numbers must be very much higher.
Two to three decades ago the government tried to play down the number of cases by giving patently false figures either to reassure investors and tourists or as a means of not panicking the local populace. That was a mistake. For no one took the deadly threat seriously except the genuine AIDS activists. Today we are paying the price of our folly.
Most of us feel that as long as we don't indulge in activities that directly cause AIDS we are safe. However that may not be entirely true. As long as the deadly HIV/AIDS persists in the community we must be very, very worried. If a situation should arise and we don't know when it will, that requires a blood transfusion then you are as exposed as the next person. For example someone gets dengue and the platelet count plummets, necessitating quick transfusions of platelets and other blood products, who is to say that you won't be endangered despite the best precautions being taken? Or an emergency surgery that goes awry and again requiring blood transfusions. What about victims of rape?
As long as accidental or 'unfortunate' transmission is a threat we should always be very wary and serious about HIV/AIDS. For our own good.
88 percent of those infected by HIV were males who were mostly drug addicts who as we know pass down the disease through the sharing of syringes.
Dr Chua said, some 10,000 HIV carriers in the country would be given anti-retroviral treatment, made possible with the cheaper cost of anti-HIV drugs. Today the anti-retroviral treatment only costs RM150 per patient down from RM1,200 previously.
The figures quoted by the minister are official statistics and if we make allowance for the 'tip of the iceberg' phenomena then we can safely assume that in reality the numbers must be very much higher.
Two to three decades ago the government tried to play down the number of cases by giving patently false figures either to reassure investors and tourists or as a means of not panicking the local populace. That was a mistake. For no one took the deadly threat seriously except the genuine AIDS activists. Today we are paying the price of our folly.
Most of us feel that as long as we don't indulge in activities that directly cause AIDS we are safe. However that may not be entirely true. As long as the deadly HIV/AIDS persists in the community we must be very, very worried. If a situation should arise and we don't know when it will, that requires a blood transfusion then you are as exposed as the next person. For example someone gets dengue and the platelet count plummets, necessitating quick transfusions of platelets and other blood products, who is to say that you won't be endangered despite the best precautions being taken? Or an emergency surgery that goes awry and again requiring blood transfusions. What about victims of rape?
As long as accidental or 'unfortunate' transmission is a threat we should always be very wary and serious about HIV/AIDS. For our own good.
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/06/2006 06:59:00 PM
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