CHINA, AIDS, Commentary: My Thoughts on December 1st
By Ellen Ji
December 1st was World AIDS Day, which, again, reminded people of the seriousness of the AIDS epidemic. AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is the most rapidly spreading incurable disease in the world. According to recent figures there are 40 million people who have full blown AIDS or have tested HIV-positive in the world today. In the year 2003, merely one year, the number increased by 5 million, among whom 3 million died, which was the most severe ever. And it's also serious in China. Up to now, 840,000 people in China have been infected with HIV.
Faced with such a harsh reality, unfortunately, we have no effective way to conquer AIDS completely because of its ways of spreading: sexual intercourse, needle sharing, blood transfusions in hospital and from an infected pregnant mother to her fetus. So what we can do now is alert people to the danger, and to make great efforts to cut off its avenues of spreading. It's a great concern not only to the government but to everyone around the world as well.
Laws should be drawn up by the government to prohibit needle sharing during blood transfusions, with supervision going on simultaneously.
As for citizens, now, condoms are suggested to be used in order to avoid catching AIDS through sexual contact. Also, if a woman knows or has tested positive for the AIDS virus, she won't be allowed to have a baby, lest she spread the disease to her fetus. These are some of the measures we have taken to save more people from being victims, but still a better way needs to be found.
To the AIDS sufferers, the most important thing we can do is to treat them equally, respect them and try to help them. We should not be prejudiced against them, or afraid of touching them, for we all know that AIDS doesn't spread through the air, water, or daily contact. Besides, for those who suffer AIDS, life must seem quite unfair. Many live in great depression, with no hope for the future. They think that they have been deserted by society, friends or even their own families.
So it's now that they really hunger for our care, our support, and our love. I believe AIDS, while still an incurable disease, in the end, won't defeat human beings. Instead, we're now even more unified in our efforts to conquer it. Someday, maybe soon, like other diseases throughout history which once were incurable, it'll be under our control.
Until that day comes, the best we can do is to slow the spread of the AIDS virus, and to treat all those infected with compassion and dignity.
December 1st was World AIDS Day, which, again, reminded people of the seriousness of the AIDS epidemic. AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is the most rapidly spreading incurable disease in the world. According to recent figures there are 40 million people who have full blown AIDS or have tested HIV-positive in the world today. In the year 2003, merely one year, the number increased by 5 million, among whom 3 million died, which was the most severe ever. And it's also serious in China. Up to now, 840,000 people in China have been infected with HIV.
Faced with such a harsh reality, unfortunately, we have no effective way to conquer AIDS completely because of its ways of spreading: sexual intercourse, needle sharing, blood transfusions in hospital and from an infected pregnant mother to her fetus. So what we can do now is alert people to the danger, and to make great efforts to cut off its avenues of spreading. It's a great concern not only to the government but to everyone around the world as well.
Laws should be drawn up by the government to prohibit needle sharing during blood transfusions, with supervision going on simultaneously.
As for citizens, now, condoms are suggested to be used in order to avoid catching AIDS through sexual contact. Also, if a woman knows or has tested positive for the AIDS virus, she won't be allowed to have a baby, lest she spread the disease to her fetus. These are some of the measures we have taken to save more people from being victims, but still a better way needs to be found.
To the AIDS sufferers, the most important thing we can do is to treat them equally, respect them and try to help them. We should not be prejudiced against them, or afraid of touching them, for we all know that AIDS doesn't spread through the air, water, or daily contact. Besides, for those who suffer AIDS, life must seem quite unfair. Many live in great depression, with no hope for the future. They think that they have been deserted by society, friends or even their own families.
So it's now that they really hunger for our care, our support, and our love. I believe AIDS, while still an incurable disease, in the end, won't defeat human beings. Instead, we're now even more unified in our efforts to conquer it. Someday, maybe soon, like other diseases throughout history which once were incurable, it'll be under our control.
Until that day comes, the best we can do is to slow the spread of the AIDS virus, and to treat all those infected with compassion and dignity.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home