The level of AIDS infection in Africa has reached
even more alarming proportions: every hour five
people in Africa contract HIV.
Those who fight against AIDS know that this means
being active on many fronts: filling the gap
that separates marginalised people in society
from proper heath care; facilitating a global change
in prevention and cure strategies for HIV; fighting
the prejudice hitting men and especially women
infected by AIDS; promoting health education
and knowledge of all aspects of the disease:
the infection, the physical consequences
and transmission of the virus.
However, to be really effective, to eliminate other
ways of virus transmission and induce real
changes in behavior, the prevention programs
must be calculated specifically on the social
and cultural context where they are applied,
not global standards which are to be applied
everywhere.
Condoms remain until now the most effective way
to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted
diseases, but they aren’t, and can’t be, the only
solution to the HIV problem in Africa.
“Until the day that people will be involved
in the creation of their own health systems, we will
keep drying the floor while the tap is still dripping.”
- Miriam Were
