The Shunned Disease

"The single biggest impediment to fighting AIDS is stigma." Our view of AIDS needs to move beyond the thinking that it is the "gay disease" or the "African disease." It's estimated that there are 1.1 million people living with AIDS in the U.S. while there are around 30 million people in African suffering from AIDS; both numbers steadily increasing. AIDS is unbiased and unprejudiced, so why can't we think along those lines?

When dealing with the AIDS crises in Africa however, it is necessary to take out our Western ideals of right and wrong when introducing methods to stop the spread of AIDS. In the article "African perspective on AIDS crisis differs from the West," I realized my own naivite in regard to these issues. I thought that condom education and distribution were a good idea to help stem the spread of AIDS. I did not however think of how to implement that course of action and how what I might consider normal from my American persperctive might cause other difficulties in other nations. There needs to be a cohesive understanding between the Western nations looking to help Africa's AIDS epidemic and the nations and peoples of Africa who desperately need the help. One must look beyond our own fears, prejudices, and moral codes and cooperate to truly begin the fight against AIDS.

But one must also look at oneself first to be of any real use. There are still stigmas and reticent feelings to truly take on the gargantuan task of fighting AIDS at the biological and social levels here in the U.S. Until we get our act together over here, we will not be able to effectively help others. Sure we might send some money and supplies, but what will that mean without effective training and studied data that will give some basis as to how to combat AIDS?

There is still a lot to learn about this disease, but there is also a lot to learn about ourselves. It must be necessary to look beyond our own perceptions to give the world a fighting chance against this growing pandemic.