AM I REALLY PROTECTED FROM HIV?

The things we do, represent who we really are. The things we talk about, projects what we actually think. Sometimes we dont realise how important our presence are in this community.

I have to admit that we take many things in life forgranted. We neglect ourselves and subsequently put our lives and the lives of others at risk.

Why dont we stop and and pause for a moment.... Pause for a crtical second.... and answer this simple question,

"AM I REALLY PROTECTED FROM HIV?"

My dear friends,

HIV does not recognize young or old, rich or poor, race and religion....

HIV does not discriminate.... SO WHY SHOULD YOU???

KNOWLEDGE IS THE MOST POWERFUL WAY TO OVERCOME THIS....

ATTITUDE IS THE BEST WAY TO CONTEMPLATE THIS....

PRACTISE IS THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THIS....

Here are a few facts you should know regarding HIV/AIDS....

1. There are about 34 million people living with HIV worldwide




2. AIDS has killed about 19 million people worldwide




3. 13 million children have been orphaned by AIDS




4. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS(disease)




5. HIV stands for HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS




6. AIDS stands for ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME




7. HIV CANNOT be transmitted by AIR




8. HIV is transmitted (3 major WAYS)

• Having unprotected sex - anal sex have a greater risk to transmit the virus followed by sexual intercourse and oral sex.... by using a CONDOM and BEING FAITFUL to your partner, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from HIV.




• Sharing needles- If you are an intravenous drug user, please DONT SHARE ure needles with other drug user..... so please make sure that if your are planning to do a tatoo or body piercing, make sure you go to a place that uses only STERILE equiptment.




• Mother to child : pregnant mothers who are infected with HIV can transmit the virus to their unborn child and further transmit the virus to the baby by breast milk.




• HIV can also be transmitted by contaminatted blood products (blood transfusion) and contaminate needles from syringe used in the hospitals...this is vary rare as blood products from donors are screen first before being used and syringes are now disposable




• DO bare in mind that HIV can also be transmitted through as open wound or a cut in any part of the body...

9. Women have a greater(4 X greater) chance in contracting the virus compared to men in vaginal intercourse. REASON SIMPLE, the vaginal mucosal surface layer is greater compared to men... so the bigger the surface, the higher the chance....

10. Having a sexual transmitted disease increases your risk of contracting HIV... HOW~? when you have sores or break in the skin, it would be much more easier for the virus to enter....

11.HIV and AIDS brings forth the largest stigma of any known disease in the world

12. HIV can only live in HUMAN BODY no where else.... not in plants, not in animals. so dont worry bout mosquito or fleas spreading the virus

13.OUTSIDE the human body... HIV can only survive for a few seconds

14. Religious or moral believes lead to some belief that having HIV or AIDS is a result of moral fault that deserve to be punished.... (honestly, i have come in contact with many who think this way)

15.SARS and AVIAN FLU are more deadly in ways of transmission but yet people are so afraid of those who have HIV

16. worldwide highest transmission mode : unprotected sex but in malaysia its different, the highest transmmission mode is through sharing of needles among drug users.

17.WORLD AIDS DAY falls on the 1st of DECEMBER

18. Highest age group of those infected with HIV in Malaysia alone : 20-39 years old

19.IGNORANCE of what is actually HIV and AIDS can cause a person to live in fear of the virus and the disease it brings.... empowering yourself and others can help in creating a world free from HIV.

20.There is NO cure for HIV infection.