Short Critical Summary

HIV and AIDS are spreading too fast for some countries to handle. throughout my posts, there is a common theme of too many people becoming infected and too many risks that cause the spread of the virus. It seems that for all the spread of the disease and virus, little is being done to fight and stop the spread. A cure seems far from reach and while there are many organizations and countries are fighting hard against the virus and its spread but it seems that the global response and even local response is not what it should be. In Africa, the virus is a pandemic, and some of the governments are trying hard to fight it any way they can but others are still acting with ignorance and saying that the spread is not caused the way that it acutally is. AIDS has proven to be a huge problem in poorer countries and it is spreading to other countries other than just those in Africa. In my blog i wrote about how the virus has krept into the streets of Iraq and Khazkstan. In some African countries 1 in every 3 men are said to have AIDS or HIV, while AIDS prevention organizations refuse to sell condoms and believe that abstence works better. Of course it works better but it is not realistic. This is the problem, the actual problem is far worse than the response. Condoms and circumcision are two proven ways to help cut the risk of the spread, but the people that are "helping" in the fight are doing it the way they want to and not the way that will get the most results.
I believe that if a global realization and response is not taken then the countries that are plagued with the virus are doomed to fall into a even lower state of health and living. I also believe that because of the negligence in most countries in the world, the virus will spread and become a big problem to even the strongest countries in the world. I am saying that this could become a problem for the entire world, for anyone who has sex or is born. Something really needs to be done otherwise it will just get worse and spread, like a disease in the body, to the rest of the world. Precautions must be taken or we may all be doomed, or atleast our children or their children.
The commenting process did not seem to helpful. The commenter either agreed or disagreed with me, but my topic was AIDS so the comments did not get to controversial because everyone seemed to agree that it is a problem and it is terrible. To be honest I thought the comment were a bit of a waste of time because no real conversations were really started amongst my group no matter how hard we tried. People didn't even start commenting until the last day anyways so it ended up just being another hoop to jump through for a grade. But, because i had to read other blogs I did learn a thing or two about Darfur and the Iraq War which did help my understanding of what was going on in class a bit better.

Follow up on Iraq

This is a follow up on my recent post about the spread of the virus and disease to Iraq. According to Carlotta Gall of the New York Times, in her article "A New Sorrow for Afghanistan: AIDS Joins List" published on March 19 2007, the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus is definite. Recently the virus was said to only be known as underground but now the waring nation has realized that this too may be another problem added to their already heavy load. With only 69 people diagnosed or known to have the disease ever in the country, the number has almost doubled in the last few days because more sick people have been tested for it and more people are realizing that this may be another problem they must face in the country. This could mean trouble if it begins to break out rapidly among the people. Fighting a war and AIDS seems like fighting a pretty hopeless a losing battle. I just hope that one of the two problems solves itself quickly so the other one can be focused on.

NJ makes testing a must

According to the Washington Posts arictle "N.J. Eyes HIV Tests for Moms, Newborns" published on March 22 2007, it is possible that New Jersey will become the first state in the US to require both pregnant woman and newborns to be tested for HIV. The proposal is being pushed by an influetial lawmaker in Trenton New Jersey, Senate President Richard J Codey. The legislations will require the testing unless the mother specifially chooses "in writing" to reject the test. According to the Kaiser Foundation "four states _ Arkansas, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas _ require health care providers to test a mother for HIV, unless the mother specifically asks not to be tested." New York and Connecticut are the only current states that test all newborns.

I think this is a good idea and feel that because it is not harmful or time consuming all the states should adopt this policy of testing. I'm glad a state is stepping up and making it a requirement i just hope the rest begin to follow suit.

Kazakhstan now has more than hate for Borat

According to the Washington Post's article, Number of Kazakh Children With HIV 96" published on March 15 2007, the HIV virus has made its way into yet another country. The number of children in southern Kazakhstan has reached 96. This outbreak is blamed on doctrors' negligence. 13 mothers were also said to have contracted the virus. This occured through injections or blood transfusions at hospitals in the city of Shymkent, 1000 miles south of the capital. Eight of these children have already died from the disease. The government has began testing thousands of mothers and children that may be at risk of having or contracting HIV. A nationwide inspection has revealed many cases of "incompetence and corruption among doctors and nurses." 21 of these doctors are being accused of causing the outbreak and are going on trial in Shymkent.

Think it is horrible that AIDS is slowly taking anothjer country but I am impressed that the government is blaming people who deserve blame and that it is finding other people at risk to keep the outbreak to a minimum.

Schools on HIV and AIDS

According to the article "A Range of Policies" published by the Washington Post on Sunday March 18 2007, different states are required to inform students differently on HIV and AIDS. Schools throughout the country are handling the teaching of safe sex and spread of the HIV virus differently. If Arizona schools chcoose to teach about sexual orientation and homosexuality in health ed classes then they have to be in a facutal manner and not promote a "homosexual lifestyle" or portray homosexuality as a alternative life style or suggest that some sex methods are safer than tohers. In Oklahoma schools are required to educate HIV and AIDS prevention education and teach the different ways, like homosexual activity and drug use are the leading causes of the spread of the viruses. To be honest I believe that the schools should all teach some sort of AIDS and HIV prevention and be honest about what acutally helps prevent the problem, like condoms. I think it is crap that schools get in trouble for teaching safe sex intead of abstince. If it saves lives, im for it.

Another problem for Afghanistan

Accotrding Carlotta Gall of the New York Times in her article "Silently, AIDS Comes to Afghanistan" which was published on March 18, AIDS has found its way into Afghanistan. AIDS and HIV remained outside of Afghanstan for a long time during the strict Islamic rule of the Taliban and the two prior decades of war. Now it is slowly creeping into the country among the people. The artcle tells about a man whose son has the sickness and whose wife died only 4 months ago from it. Reports and studies say that Afghanistan had only 69 cases of AIDS and three deaths in the past but experts argue that the number is dangerously wrong due to the difficulty of taking the surveys and there credibiltiy. The infection seems to remain underground and is "shrouded in ignorance and stigma as the government struggles with the help of American and Nato forces to rebuild the country in the face of a new offensive by Taliban insurgents". It is beleived that the number of infected is now roughly 1000 to 2000 afghans.

I think this could prove to be a big problem for the country. With the war and reconstruction going on little aid and attention could be paid to health and AIDS problems which could mean lots of pain and trouble for the infected peopel and the people at risk of infection.

Use It and You May Lose It

A few posts back i summarized an article that explained that circumcision can cut the risks of becoming infected with the HIV virus in half. Well According to Donald McNeil of the New York Times in his article "Healing: A Caveat on Circumcision as AIDS Prevention" published on March 13 of 2007, circumscion can have a negative effect on others. It is still said that circumcision still helps protect a man from catching the AIDS virus but it doesn't work in preventing spreading it to others. If a man becomes infected with the virus and then becomes circumcised, he should refraim from sex until he has fully healed. Otherwise the risk of spreading the virus to his partner is greater. It is proven that women who had sex with recently circumcised men who didnt wait to heal were at a higher risk of catching the virus.

According to Michael Wines of the New York Times in his article "Official in Furor on AIDS Policy In South Africa is Hospitalized" published on February 23 of 2007, Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, the South African minister of health is in the Johanesburg hospital due to severe anemia and a lung infection. Dr. Manto promoted garlic and beetroot as protection against AIDS in her country which showed her nation's slow response to the HIV epidemic that now plagues the country. The Dr. of 66 years is the most controversial official in her country's government and has been a target of many AIDS activists and groups and even medical experts since the beginning of this decade. The Dr. was against many forms of treatment for the virus and seemed to do a great deal of things to stop or atleast slow the distribution of them in the country.

I find it crazy that this Dr. is still the minister health in the country. She obviously isn't doing her job too well. I won't say that her being hospitalized is a good thing by any means, but i think it's a sign that perhaps she should step down and let someone better suited and perhaps a bit younger step up to the plate.

Bush and the Democrats agree

According to Celia Dugger of the New York Times in her article "Bush Gets Aid Of Democrats In Fighting Pandemics" which was published on February 2 2007, the president's fighting pandemic cause recieved support from the majority democratic Congress. The House decided to rescue President Bush's international priority of the global fight against aids malaria and tuberculosis. This came as a bit of a shocker because of the ever increasing disagreement between Democrats and Rebulicans in Congress and the Presidency. However, they all seem to realize the importance of international involvment when it comes to saving lives and helping those in need. Although the war in Iraq is a tough subject among them they have decided that more attention is deserved towards these different pandemics. Bush's program has recently been caught in "limbo" and has not been used to its full potential. Congress has agreed to fund the program heavily in the fight against AIDS and the other diseases that are terrifing Africa and the rest of the world.

Outsource this China

This post is a follow up to the last post and a previous post about Dr. Gao of China who was put on hosue arrest in China after trying to get a visa to visit Washington to recieve a humanitarian honor for her work with the fight against AIDS. In Jim Yardley of the New Yotk Times article "China Relents, Allowing AIDS Doctor to Visit U.S." published on February 17, 2007, he explains that China has finally decided to let the 80 year old doctor go to the United States to recieve her award. In recent articles and posts I explained that the doctor was detained for unknown reasons and placed on gaurded house arrest which gained international attention and curiosity. After the pressure was felt from the international eye, the Chineese posted an article and had a photo opp with the good doctor trying to show that everything was alright and she was there mostly on her own accord. Both the press and herself are unaware of why she had been detained. However on February 17th China finally buckeled under questioning outsiders like Hillary Clinton and allowed the doctor to travel freely and safely to the United States. The award ceremony takes place in March and is heald by different AIDS and health organizations to recognize the greats in the field. Dr. Gao is one of these people and is famously outspoken in her work agaisnt AIDS in China which is becoming a big health problem in the country which could be the reason she was unallowed to go to the U.S. and speak of the problem freely.

China Poses

This is a catch up post about a previous post about the Dr. Gao Yaolie of China who was not allowed to leave the country and put on house arrest so that she would miss recieving a humanitarian award in the United States for her work on AIDS. According to Jim Yardley of the New York Times in his article "China Covers Up AIDS Doctor's Detention" published on February 16 2007, the Chineese government tried to make the Dr.'s house arrest seem to be a false misunderstanding. In Tuesday's Henan Daily there was an article with a picture of the doctor and three high ranking Henan Providence officials smiling on the picture. The men gave her flowers while she quinted at the camera while she was still under house arrest after trying to get a visa so she could travel to Washington to recieve an honor. The detention attracted many eyes from other countries and the article was meant to cover up that she was detained and show that she was actually staying by choice. On that thursday the Dr. explained that police officers were still stationed outside her house. She is very confused and is curious as to who made the decision and what crimes an 80 year old woman could have possible committed. The writer of the article says that AIDS is perhaps the most influencial and changing issue in China at the moment and this could be a reason as to why she is being detained.

Miracle Treatment

According to Lawrence K. Altman of the New York Times in his article "Project Curbs Malaria in Ugandan Group" published on March 1 of 2007, a combination of treatments practically wiped out malaria amoung a group of HIV positive children in Uganda. The combination of inexpensive antibiotic pills every day and sleeping under an insecticide treated mosquito net reduced the infection of malaria by 97 percent which was comparably better with a control group. The news was announced at a medical conference on Wednesday. The findings have changed the medical practices in the country almost instantly. The antibiotic is called cotrimoxazole which is sold in the US as Bactim and Septra and used to prevent infections that are "common complications of AIDS". The drug has also been proven to benefit against the parasite that causes malaria. According to Dr. Elaine Abrams, professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at Columbia University, "The findings were shockingly dramatic". The findings, however stunning, have not yet proven to aid the fight against AIDS and HIV but Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death among children under the age of 5 in Uganda and if those children have HIV as well it proves to be an extremely deadly combination. The combination is not reccomended by the World Health ORganization but the UN recommends each seperately.

I think more combination of treatments like this could ultimately help us find the actual cure for AIDS and HIV. I beleive we need to mix it up a bit and take risks to eventually find the cure.

2 new drugs for the fight

According to Lawrence K. Altman of the New York Times in the article
"2 New Drugs Offer Options To Fight H.I.V. in Novel Ways" published on February 28 2007, two new drugs have surfaced that could help in the fight against AIDS. The drugs are not yet approved for marketing yet but are beleived to be so by the end of the year. These drugs have proved safe and highly successful "in large studies". The two new drugs would add two new different classes to the original four that are available to the free world to fight HIV. This would greatly increase the options of different types of treatments for the infected or people at risk of infection. This would grealty help the infected people whose current treatments no longer work because their virus has become resistant to drugs already. The number of people like this is in the tens of thousands.

I think this is a great oppurtunity for the fight agaisnt AIDS and HIV i just hope that the drugs are approved for sale on the market soon so the infected people have a chance to get better

Response Paper 3

I believe the genocide is a result of all of these things; the long standing hatreds, the weak state and its uncontrollable population, and most of all the manipulation of the massacre. The racial tension and hatred was built up for so long that when it was mixed with the unstability of the government after the murder of the president it was no surprise that the governemnt could not control the masses and they began to act out of instinct rather than logic. The hatred of the Hutus for the Tutsis, that has gone on for years since the British rule in the country, fueled the actions that they carried out which gave them a reason for all the bloodshed. In "We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families", Hutus said it was either kill or be killed and everyone was looking out for thier own skin. With fear and hatred mixed together it was very easy for the political elite to manipulate the confused masses. The new seemingly right leaders had a race full of hate and fear at their control and anyone who objected to the orders of murder appeared to be a Tutsi sympathizer which would leave them in the same boat as the Tutsi. This sort of ultimatum of kill or be killed caused by the masses and leaders is what lead to the genocide in Rwanda and because of the lack of true political control, little could be done to stop the slaughter. Because the Hutu leaders controlled the radio and the radio basically controlled the masses the leaders could inject any kid of hatred or idealism into the listeners who would then go out and do the leaders bidding. The radio station was a big player in the genocide because everyone listned to it and beleived the words being said which can be seen as a prime reason many of the slaughters occured. Because such chaos was going on during the genocide control was far out of reach so the different players in this game had to fight fire with fire by using violence agaisnt violence which can take a long time to solve a problem. This is why I believe the response to the problem took as long as it did.

To feed or not to feed

According to Lawernce K. Altman of the New York Times in the article, "Scientists Urge New Look At Feeding in AIDS Fight", published on February 27, 2007, the problem of natural breast feeding vs. formula breast feeding has proven to be a great problem and mystery when it comes to feeding a new born. Studies have shown a plethora of results regarding infant feeding that will reduce the risk of HIV or AIDS. The argument is whether breast feeding by the natural mother who has the HIV virus or formula feeding in an at risk country will be better off for the infant being fed.

During the 14th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, scientists reported that formula feeding in poor countires can be very dangerous for a child's overall health and urged that natural breast feeding should be used or better formulaed feeding. The problem is that the formula does not give proper nutriotions and fluids to the infant but direct feeding from the an infected mother may cause the transfer of the HIV virus.

Earlier studies from the World Health Organization say that "breast-feeding has a lower risk of transmitting H.I.V. than breast-feeding combined with other fluids or foods." meaning that mixing the two types of feeding together proves to be more dangerous than just sticking with one. Studies have been proving back and forth which method is safer for the child and the ultimate method has not been chosen.

Another relative problem is when an infected mother should stop naturally feeding the child because tests have shown that the older and longer a child is fed this way the more likely they are to contract the HIV virus.

All in all it seems like a rather sticky situation, the tests are trying to help and find the most helpful method but it seems that they are just batting forth which way is better for the child. Either way i beleive the tests should continue to be done until a final conclusion on the topic can be made.

Circumcising the Problem

According to Donald G. Mcneil Jr. of the New York Times in his article "Circumcisions Anit-AIDS Effect Found Greater Than First Thought", circumcision is proving to cut the risk of men contracting AIDS by 50 or even 65 percent during sexual intercourse. Two months ago, two clinical trials in Africa were stopped because the results proved to be so successful that those who were circumcised were less at risk then those who were not. The tests proved that circumcision greatly protected against the contraction of the virus. The tests were stopped because it would have been "unethical" to go on with treatement for the other people in the tests who were not circumcised because the fact of the matter was that circumcision was actually helping and they too deserved that same chance of protection.

The two largest funders for fightings AIDS has been quoted as saying that they are looking into paying for circumciscion for people in high risk countries due to its efffectiveness.

In the final data from the trials it is suggested that the circumcisions can reduce risk by as much as 65 percent for men. Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institue of Alergy and Infectious Diseases, who also paid for the trials, plans on contiuing to say officially that circumcision cuts the risk by 50 percent and is very pleased with the 65 percentage but believes that in reality the 50 percent is more likely.

This is a great break through for the fight agaisnt AIDS but it has already caused some conflict among men who are against circumcision for whatever personal reasons. Personally i beleive that this is a great step forward and a 50 percent risk reduction can be seen as such a helpful prevention that most uncircumcised men in high risk countries should seek or be aided in obtaining circumcision.