Reducing AIDS shows promise

Although AIDS treatment is reducing cases all around the world, many millions of people are still in need of treatments to avoid being part of the yearly death toll. Over a time period of 30 years, 30 million people have died from AIDS. The mortality rate has been declining for several years and by 2009, reports show that there has been less death in 2009 than in the last several years. The reason being for this good news is the sexual behavioral changes among young people, prevention of mother-to-son transmission of the infection, and increased reduction of infectious risk in people taking the AIDS drug.

In the developing world, there is an increase in the number of people taking antiretroviral therapy, the same which has revolutionized AIDS care in rich countries.

Discouraging news is as follows: In about a half dozen countries, the rate of HIV have went up 25 over the past decade. In the United States and Western Europe, gay and bisexual men are growing in number. Another report was that the funding for AIDS treatment in 2009-7.6 billion dollars- provided by rich countries have been lower than in the previous year. Two-thirds of the Sub-Saharan African people are living with HIV. The number of infected people there continue to grow, in part because of the longer survival rate of the people taking antiretroviral drugs.

"The reduction in partners is clearly a positive trend, and can be linked to the reduction of new infections", says Bernhard Schwartlander, epidemiologist at UNAIDS. Condom use and availability has also increased. Pope Benedict XVI recently told a reporter that he condones the use of condoms under certain circumstances to reduce the risk of HIV, a view welcomed by leaders of the global response.

This is overall good news because the nature of the disease is being understood. Sexual behavioral changes are necessary to reduce and eliminate HIV/AIDS infection in the world. Without the tendency to cohabit with multiple partners, infection is reduced in the world. Also, with less and possibly no sexual activity between gay and bisexual men, disease would be reduced substantially. Lastly, the choice to use condoms for safe sex is another key to keeping the infection away. When these good choices are practiced, we create a better environment for ourselves, not only in the biological sense, but in a moral sense as well. When people set a good example for others, we can be assured that in future times, these good principles will be practiced by the newer generation that comes after us. I'm not certain myself about how AIDS came about, but I know that the spreading of this infection is by choice. I doesn't just happen. Positive personal decision making is a critical weapon against this epidemic.