The History of HIV/AIDS
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Introduction
HIV, according to scientists, first originated in West Africa, particularly in chimpanzees in the 1930s. The latter then spread to human beings in the process of hunting and gathering. The first human blood sample that verified HIV/AIDS was linked to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1959. Even though the incidence was never fully discovered until the 1980s, various nations experienced several types of diseases such as cancer, pneumonia, and cancer. HIV discovery in the U.S.A, for instance, was linked to the year of 1981. At that point, the country was reporting high incidences of cancer and pneumonia and the young gay disease called Gat-Related Immune Deficiency (GRID) (Darling, 2020). Canada reported the issue in 1982, March after the HIV was fully renamed AIDs; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The majority of the victims were women via heterosexual sex infection. The latter followed several conferences as of 1985, which took place in the USA, Georgia, and later in 1987, where the U.S Food and Drug Administration approved the first AZT, anti-retroviral drug (Fauci & Lane, 2020). Hence, the goal of this essay aims at addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS based on the history presented
The point of HIV/AIDS
Any health professional, including me at one point, has had a glimpse of the history of HIV/AIDS. It is a very crucial topic. In global health, HIV progressively has claimed thirty-three million lives so far despite access to efficient HIV prevention education. Worldwide, there is an estimate of 38 million individuals infected with HIV.
Concerted International Report stated that 53% and 68% of children and adults are HIV positive. Out of the total, 85%, based on information presented by the World Health Organization (WHO), receives antiretroviral therapy (ART). The whole process is vital for pregnant women who learn strategies to protect their children’s health. Primarily, they are taught on routine to prevent mother-child transmission. Key populations, regions, and countries with increased risk of HIV, as of WHO, account for 60% of the information presented in 2019 (Fauci & Lane, 2020). In Pacific and Asia, Central and Western Europe, and Middle-East Africa, groups account for over 94%. Generally, HIV/AIDS is a relevant topic that touches on the overall well-being of the victim.
The Importance of the HIV/AIDS issue to a health professional
Health professionals play an essential role in the population by improving the quality of their healthcare. They provide central services promoting health and prevent widespread diseases (Ogunbajo, Iwuagwu, Williams, et al., 2019). Hence, any health professional needs to understand the knowledge of various viruses such as HIV. Via the lessons connected to HIV, health professionals will understand the profound impact it has on the lives of the infected people and their families. One would also understand the various strategies connected to the care of infected people.
Furthermore, the HIV/AIDS knowledge and information sources are discussed in connection to the victims (Darling, 2020). In addition to other problematic health incidences, HIV/AIDS, as presented to the health professionals, takes a distinctive turn. The health professionals learn about the countries with the highest infections and take not on the various measures vital for its prevention.
The knowledge of HIV/AIDs allows one to learn respective health personals as the care-givers. Among them includes laboratory workers/scientists, doctors, and nurses. The roles are distinguished based on occupied vanguard positions. Preventive and management programs are also presented, while health professionals try to understand the history of HIV/AIDs. One can also learn of HIV/AIDS stigmatization and several methods essential for its prevention.
The Causes of HIV/AIDS
I believe that an HIV/AIDS problem is caused by various acts that are preventable. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is a potential and chronic condition caused by HIV; Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It damages the immune system by interfering with the body’s capability to fight diseases and infection (Ogunbajo, Iwuagwu, Williams, et al., 2019). HIV has a sexually transmitted infection and therefore spread via contact with infected blood. It can also be transmitted from mother-child during pregnancy.
Also, it might be transmitted during breast-feeding or childbirth. HIV is also transmitted by having unprotected sex with an infected person and sharing needles and syringes, which are contaminated with IV paraphernalia drug. It is also associated with common infections. Among them includes candidiasis (thrush), pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), Tuberculosis (TB), and Cytomegalovirus. It is also associated with the Wasting syndrome, neurological complications, kidney and liver diseases.
Mainstream Attitudes in society about HIV/AIDS issue
According to Darling (2020), beliefs and attitudes towards people living with AIDs are fully justified and serve as functional knowledge. Health professionals, via various departments’ assist, educate individuals on considering HIV as an epidemic and applying multiple prevention measures. Fact figures on AIDs in Nigeria stated that it was a real occurring incidence. The majority of the people employ various measures for its prevention, and that those infected are advised to live healthily. Married members, for instance, fully use treatment as prevention (TasP) medicines. The victims take medicine fully as prescribed and get regular checkups.
The members use post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), especially when one is exposed to the infection. Visiting an emergency department within the first 72 hours is encouraged for those exposed to needles or sex. Members also consider preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to decrease the risk of infection. The drugs are often prescribed by the doctor only if one has not yet received an HIV infection. Indeed, the various strategies applied under the prevention of HIV/AIDs are fully justified. In Nigeria, under the International AIDS Society (IAS), the measures presented above are fully justified (Fauci & Lane, 2020). They are meant to save those unaffected and present pleasant platforms that fully accommodate those infected.
Comparison of HIV/AIDS in the U.S.A and Nigeria
In Nigeria, based on 2019 information presented by UNAIDS, 1.9 million people are living with HIV. Out of the total, 1.5% is adult with an age bracket of 15-49. New infection cases as of 2018 ranged to 130,000 with AIDS-related deaths of 53,000. It is only 55% of the adults that received antiretroviral treatment with children totaling 35%. In the world, Nigeria serves as the second-largest nation with the HIV pandemic. In sub-Saharan Africa, it records the highest rates. Nigeria’s population, based on information presented by UNAIDS, are unaware of their status. 73% of the communities are aware of those on treatment totaling 89%. The nation falls short in providing recommendations on vital HIV counseling and testing. The concern is also fixed to minimal levels of antiretroviral therapy. Apart from the HIV epidemic, Nigeria serves as the 4th largest nation with a tuberculosis epidemic.
In the United States of America (USA), 1.1 people are living with HIV. The total number of a new infection is 38,500, with only 6,000 death cases linked to AIDS. One in seven individual is living with HIV, and that it is entirely driven by sexual contact. In most cases, it is concentrated on the crucial population. Among them includes gay men. Also, individuals coming from vulnerable contexts are positively affected, such as African Americans. 49% of the people living with HIV are on treatment, and that virtually suppressed population totals to 51% (Fauci & Lane, 2020). In Nigeria and the USA, stigma remains a considerable challenge to the prevention of HIV, which is positively linked to minimal testing rates and poor treatment adherence.
Organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS in the USA and Nigeria
In the USA, one of the firms dealing with HIV/AIDs issues includes UNAIDS. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS aim is to stop the spread of new infections. It ensures individuals living with HIV have full access to treatment. UNAIDS facilitates human rights protections, especially for people living with HIV/AIDS, and that it provides data on the decision-making process connected to the act. It fully ensures that worldwide, nations share common visions on zero new HIV infections. The latter also follows zero AIDS deaths and discrimination.
The Global Fund organization in Nigeria operated as early as the 1990s. Its core goal has been to cut down on the annual AIDS death in addition to new infection. Today, via its measures, it strives at promoting antiretroviral therapies on the people living with HIV and supports various nations, including Nigeria, with funds vital in HIV activities (Ogunbajo, Iwuagwu, Williams, et al., 2019). It severely works with various healthy communities to facilitate life-saving treatment and combating discrimination and stigmatization, which discourages treatment.
Hence, various websites https://www.avert.org/about-hiv-aids, documentaries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uywzbRLz5zc, and https://fivebooks.com/best-books/arthur-ammann-aids-plague/ on the history and impact of HIV/AIDS. They are vital in understanding the crucial topics of HIV/AIDs. They address the signs and symptoms, history, prevention, and treatment measures and elaborate on various organizations curbing the issue of HIV/AIDS.
References
Darling, K. W. (2020). Book Review: Remaking a Life: How Women Living with HIV/AIDS Confront Inequality by Celeste Watkins-Hayes.
Fauci, A. S., & Lane, H. C. (2020). Four Decades of HIV/AIDS—Much Accomplished, Much to Do. New England Journal of Medicine, 383(1), 1-4.
Ogunbajo, A., Iwuagwu, S., Williams, R., Biello, K., & Mimiaga, M. J. (2019). Awareness, willingness to use, and history of HIV PrEP use among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Nigeria. PloS one, 14(12), e0226384.