The HIV is a special type of
micro lentivirus. The full name of this virus is Human
Immune Deficiency Virus, in
short HIV which once entered into a human body, destroys
gradually the immunity power of
the body. HIV viruses remain dormant in the body for
a long time, but usually this
dormant period lasts for 6-7 months.
This virus remains in different
organs of the affected person, in the blood, semen,
vaginal secretion, spit, tears,
urine and breast milk. But, experts opine that the thickness
of virus in tears, urine and
spit is very less. That’s why through these organs there is no
possibility of being infected.
The
Concept of AIDS
The full name of the acronym
AIDS is Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Entering into human body, HIV
destroys excessively the immunity level. The last stage
of the HIV infection is called
AIDS. As the immunity system of body reduces a lot, any
other disease can easily attack
the AIDS affected person. No effective immunization has
yet been invented. For this
reason, the obvious consequence of the AIDS affected person is untimely death. AIDS
is not a communicable disease. There is no possibility of getting infected on AIDS
by regular work with the AIDS affected person. Those who have HIV positive got
ultimately affected by AIDS. A person is called HIV positive only when this
virus is identified through blood examination in his/her body.
The Causes
of AIDS
The AIDS is such a destructive
disease which enters into a human body through HIV
infection. This disease occurs due
to sexual intercourse between HIV infected male and
female or transfusion of the
blood of HIV carrier to another person. Besides, using a
syringe, needle or other
surgical instruments with HIV virus, without disinfecting them.
Moreover, homosexuality, child
birth from the infected mother or breast feeding by an
affected mother, may spread this
disease. Getting close contact with the blood of a
healthy person with that of an
infected person, for example, wound, burn, cut of both
persons and by the tools used by
the affected person and needle used for piercing ear and
nose, if used without
disinfection, may spread this disease. By the transplantation of the
affected person’s cornea, heart,
kidney, liver, etc. or cells may spread this diseases. A
patient of this disease loses
weight by 11% in two months, suffers from fever and
diarrhoea all the time. The
infected person suffers from coughing for continuously one
month, gets respiratory
infection and dry cough all the time. He also feels terrible pain at
shoulder and armpit, suffers
from fungal inflection at different body parts. He always has
a feeling of depression. AIDS
does not spread by the use of utensils, cup, glass, cloths,
etc. of the affected person. It
does not also spread by shaking hands, hugging, playing
sports, studying and nursing the
affected person.
Situation
of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh and the World
The first patient of HIV was
identified in 1981 in this world. In Bangladesh, the HIV
infection comes to light in
1989. According to the statistical report of the World Health
Organization (WHO) in 1995, the
number of AIDS patient in Myanmar is 475, in
Vietnam 228, in India 1036, in
Malaysia 200, in Pakistan-46, in Phillipines-198, in
Thailand 19095 and in Bangladesh
9 persons. But recently AIDS has spread extensively
at places surrounding
Bangladesh. The Ministry of Health presented a statistics about
AIDS/STD (sexually transmitted
disease) on 1 December, 2002 on world AIDS Day. It
has said that in 2001, the
number of carriers of HIV virus was 188 persons that increased
into 248 persons in 2002. The
latest situation of Bangladesh as per national AIDS and
STD programmes 2010, the
identified HIV affected persons were 2088 in number, AIDS
affected persons were 850 of
which 241 persons died. There are more than 3 crore young
people from15 to 24 years who
have no clear idea about HIV infection and prevention of
AIDS.
There are many reasons for
spreading of AIDS or HIV in Bangladesh. The terrific
spreading of this disease is
already huge in the neighboring countries of Bangladesh.
Everyday thousands of people of
our country go to different other countries for business
or for any other purposes. The
number of sex workers is increasing in Bangladesh. By
this time 6% sexworkers are
infected by HIV virus and 52% are at risk to be infected.
Besides, the numbers of
professional blood donors have increased a lot. Among the
blood donors, most are drug
addicted person. The experts opine that lack of proper
conception and awareness is the
main cause of AID infection in our country. For
example 99% of the transport
workers and rickshaw pullers do not have any knowledge
about AIDS, whereas they get
engaged every day in various risky sexual contacts. Every
year almost 80,000 people go
abroad from Bangladesh. Some of them come back with
carrying the virus of this
disease. Besides, the numbers of drug addicted people who
share same syringe to take drug
have increased day by day. It is mentionable that the
first patient infected by AIDS
used to work in Dubai.
The Impact
of AIDS
The HIV/AIDS infected person and
his/her family have to suffer social torture. Almost
all society of the world treats
the affected persons with hatred. No cooperation or
sympathy is shown to the
affected persons rather they have a negative impression about
them. As a result, they die
mental death before their physical death. The AIDS infected person gradually
loses all his working capability which makes his/her family in a financially
fragile position. Besides, by the untimely death of the bread winner of the
family, the whole family faces a sudden inconsistency and disaster. The mutual
relation and trust between husband and wife faces deterioration in many cases
due to these diseases. In most of the cases, the blood transfusion creates risk
in our country due to HIV/AIDS. Besides, the continuous development and
services in the developing countries and the developed countries as well are on
the face of threat. Due to AIDS, the rate of untimely death is increasing and
the average lifespan decreases in the world. On the other hand, the economic
development is facing obstruction. Besides, due to AIDS, the rate of reproduction
is reducing, the health service is facing pressure, the productivity is reducing
and the person, family, society and country are getting affected.
The Ways
to Prevent AIDS in Bangladesh
There is no preventive vaccine
for AIDS. Death is its only consequence. So to survive,
we must resist it. The following
measures must be taken to prevent AIDS:
• Following the
religious rules and obeying the ideals set by the society for our
character and attitude;
• Having trust on
only one life partner/having sexual relation only with one sexual
partner;
• The prior
checking of HIV,before taking blood from any donor or source;
• Avoid using the
needles, blade and syringe of others;
• Creating
awareness amongst all people including adolescents;
• Using
disinfected scissors and needles while piercing ear, nose or skin of boys;
• Taking steps
with cautions while transplanting organ in our body;
• Taking special
precautions while going abroad or non-residents;
• Engaging youth
in mass awareness program to prevent AIDS.
The Duties
to be Done to the AIDS Patients
The AIDS patients need essential
treatment besides social and mental support. They
must be taken to healthcare
centres if they get fever, diarrhoea and pain. Arrangements
for regular nutritious food and
enough rest in needed. Mental and social support from the
family and society is important
for them too. We should always abide the policy, ‘Hate
the disease not the patient’.
Keeping friendly relation with them and cheering their
minds through love and affection
is necessary. The AIDS contaminated people should
not be kept isolated from
others. They should be kept carefully so that they do not get
affected by other contagious
diseases. The blood of the infected people should not be
taken or physical relation with
them should be avoided.
