AIDS Research Paper

Abstract 

AIDS became the problem of the whole world. Nobody knows where it could possibly come from and how it can be destroyed. But it surely spreads all over the world at the highest speed. Different countries try to cope with this threat in a different way. However it should be admitted, that the best way is to unite forces and fight against the disease unanimously. Our research paper deals with the increasing rate of infected people in India. We will try to investigate reasons and consequences of the problem, and consider on possible ways to improve the situation.

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Nowadays, India is considered to be the second country with the highest rate of AIDS-infected people. The SAR is still occupies the first place in this tragic list. However, according to recent researches, the number of people suffering from AIDS grows rapidly in India. Apart from officially registered infected (nearly 6 mln), there is the lack of information about those who suffer from AIDS as well, being not registered. Many Indian organizations, which are deeply concerned in the struggle against AIDS, seem to ignore government’s statistics. They admit that the number of AIDS-infected is growing faster than it can be imagined, and government fails to register a lot of people suffering from the disease. Taking into account all those disregarded people, the total number of infected may constitute about 15 mln people. Gradually, the gap between the number of infected people in India and the South Africa is closing, and India is practically on the same level that the SAR is. Indian Prime-Minister admits that the government realizes the gravity of the problem and evaluates a number of preventive measures. However the problem itself seems to be out of control. In India AIDS affects not only those groups of people that are at the highest risk of being infected, but the whole population in general. In some districts of the country, the number of pregnant women, baring mortal virus, exceeds the permissible level of 1%. Apart from this, the level of condom users decreased. Researchers warn that if the situation did not change, by the year 2010 nearly 25 mln of Indian population would have become infected.

Having realized the gravity of the present situation in India, many countries attempt to assist India to overcome the problem, at least financially. In 2002 Bill Gaits donated India with 100 mln dollars to struggle against AIDS. Taking into account the fact that every year many countries spend great sums of money to fight against AIDS spread, Bill Gaits’ contribution was quite substantial. It is considered to be the most generous donation ever known. However, it faced sort of misunderstanding and disapproval among Indian governors. The government criticized such actions, which were supposed to reveal real state of matters in the country and show people the threatening reality. Ministry of Health Protection admitted that it successfully coped with the situation and the number of infected people had become stable. According to “The Guardian” correspondence, Indian Prime-Minister cancelled the meeting with an outstanding philanthropist. Gaits, however, admitted that whatever happens in the future, the problem of AIDS spread would remain of vital importance in any corner of the world. It doesn’t matter what the statistics data are. What is really significant is the struggle against the disease. It is extremely important that people have managed to understand it as soon as possible since the sooner the potential danger of AIDS spread is revealed, the easier it would be to find a plausible solution of the problem. India may either become the centre of mass epidemic, or show an example of the effective struggle against it. Not only the government but people as well should take preventive measures in order to slow down the aggravation of the problem. Possible measures may include proper sexual education, limitation of sex partners, usage of condoms, sterile syringes, needles, medical instruments etc. Speaking about preventive measures, it is worthy of mention that the most important thing is to make young people conscious of the disaster.

They should realize its consequences and start evaluate their behavior and take into consideration a potential danger of getting AIDS infected. Even though Indian agencies of AIDS prevention are particularly focused on the promotion of the regular condom usage, young people do not seem to take it seriously, while in many developed countries special condom dispensers were invented and set in public places. Such vending machines are filled with means of contraception, hygienic napkins, medical gloves and some other piece goods. It is particularly important to install such dispensers in educational institutions, where young people can buy condoms, which should be checked, repaired and restocked in time. Unaware teenagers tend to get into trouble being ignorant in sexual matters. In this way, the major preventive measure is the sexual education of teenagers. Indian authorities cannot fully realize that young people’s behavior should be thoroughly controlled in the first place. It gets to be more and more important to introduce the mass culture of condom purchase. However, it is still a matter of discussion in India. Some people admit that it may lead to ‘disordered’ sexual life, but, nevertheless, condoms remain an effective protection from diseases in the first place. Young people may hesitate whether to spend money on condoms, but they should realize the necessity of disease protection. Young people should be taught the culture of sexual relations with precautionary measures.

The 1st of December 2006 is well-known as the Global Day of AIDS struggle (the struggle which has been going on for 25 years). It is a widely known fact that India is a country of the middle level of incomes. In this way, the lack of resources and means gives no opportunity to cope with the problem of AIDS properly. Due to this factor, India canot afford using effective methods in the struggle against AIDS. The disease seems to spread faster than new preventive methods do. The lack of opportunities to develop national programs of AIDS prevention is the main problem of India. In July 2003, there was arranged the first congress of Indian authorities dealing with the increasing rate of AIDS-infected people in India. Prime-Minister Atal Bihari Vadjnai admits that HIV-infection occupied nearly all the continents. India, however, is affected most of all. Every month more and more information is published in the scientific press, trying to reveal the mysteries of this disease. It is also important to investigate the frequency of AIDS infection among different ranges of the population.

India is deprived of proper attention from the part of the international community against AIDS and HIV. Southern Africa, which unquestionably remains the centre of AIDS crisis, is more informed in this respect. In this way, some researchers consider it to be the leading factor of AIDS spread in India.

Researchers doubt that the majority of Indian women ever heard of AIDS threat. The most expensive research program of Health in India (National Family Health Survey) has revealed really disturbing facts. Only 57% of Indian female population is informed about AIDS. [Correspondent. 2007, February 23].

Taking into account the number of people living in India, the level of disease is lower in comparison with African countries. Nevertheless, only 46% of Indian women, living in rural areas, appeared to have heard about AIDS. In the Eastern part, the word AIDS is familiar to less than 30% of women. According to activists’ opinion, the lack of information contributes to the expansion of this mortal disease at an extremely high speed. 40% of all the infected are females, mostly housewives. Experts consider the main reason for such poor knowledge to be a low effectiveness of the policy of the government. To put it more precisely, Indian governors pay more attention to groups at risk (prostitutes and drug-addicts), rather than to other members of society. Besides, it is important to mention that nearly 46% of women and 34% of men still tend to be illiterate in India. In this way, many Indian people are deprived of any warning information concerning mortal disease.

On the whole, there are four factors of HIV/AIDS crisis in India: lack of medical service and education; careless sexual behavior; drug consumption; poverty and low living conditions.

To improve the situation local authorities make attempts to improve the legislation, provide financial supply of medical treatment and common education. The system of education should include special programs on health in order to make people conscious of possible infections and diseases. The government discusses the possibility of introducing free of charge condoms for all people. Society should overcome fears, biases, discrimination, and exploitation.

Speaking about financial aspect of the problem, it worth mentioning that India itself is unable to provide special anti-AIDS programs. Other countries attempt to assist India financially. India has an important historical, cultural, geographical and strategical meaning for the whole world, but, nevertheless, it has to overcome its own disastrous problems. With the generosity of different countries, great sums of money have already been invested. India, however, still seems to be unable to find efficient ways to solve the problem. Though the government attempts to arrange special educational programs for poor ranges of society, it is of no use just to tell people what they must be afraid of. What really matters is to make common people more careful, conscious and deeply concerned on possible ways to improve the situation.

First step to improve the state of things was made by Indian political forces. Political authorities officially acknowledge the gravity of the problem. The parliament forum recognized the necessity of certain measures to be taken. It was the first step to provide social, medical and national security. It is hard to predict future changes, but the fact that people make efforts to overcome the problem is highly appreciated. Though there is still a little progress in the sphere of treatment, it is not the reason to give up.

What is the structure of AIDS spread in India? There are several groups of society which are supposed to spread AIDS in India. These are: Workers of ‘sexual industry’ (prostitutes, pimps, etc.); Truck drivers. They spend a lot of time outside their families and tend to lead careless sexual life. They greatly ‘contributed’ into the expansion of sexually transmitted diseases worldwide. Homosexual men. Even in this case India is not an exception.

Drug-addicts. India is located between a so-called Golden triangle (Mianma, Laos, Northern Thailand, China, and Southern Korea). Afghanistan and Pakistan together produce 95% of all heroin in the world. Considerable part of it passes the territory of India. There is also a threat of illegal pharmaceutics.

Immigrants. Industrial and agricultural centers employ workers from neighboring countries. Over 200 million people came to India as immigrant workers. Vulnerable children. This category consists of orphans, homeless children and those brought up in improper conditions. Sexual exploitation also increases the possibility to become infected. It is a peculiarity of poor social classes.

Experts consider that Indian people would hardly be able to overcome the problem, until they do not trust organizations and programs wishing to help them. People are frightened and shy to reveal their problems. As it has been mentioned above, the official statistics of India differs from the real state of matters. Infected people are afraid of going to experts, who may not only relieve their sufferings, but at least prevent further spread of disease. General number of infected people doubles every 2 or 3 years. Due to improper conditions, average Indian inhabitant may live not more than 4-5 years after becoming infected. In the majority of cases, patients receive poor or insufficient treatment. The infection ruins whole families. Children of infected parents become outsiders forever. Girls would hardly ever get married. In this way, DISCRIMINATION is another grave problem of Indian society. It blocks up any progress in this sphere. Rights of infected people should always be taken into consideration. People suffering from epidemic should be supported and protected. Discrimination makes people hide their symptoms and leads to further expansion of AIDS.

In 2006 correspondent of local magazine managed to illustrate the discrimination in India. He asked several HIV-infected people about their relations with collaborators. Tatia, 38 years old, confessed: Colleagues still discuss my illness. They don’t dare to speak about with me, but they look at me as if I were a leper. The very atmosphere is strained. My colleagues avoid socializing with me and tend to work separately. I was forced to use special plates and cups. I’ve lost any interest in work. I start thinking it would be better to give up.

HIV-infected, let alone AIDS-infected people meet no support and compassion. They are left to languish in loneliness. Because of discrimination, many people have to leave their workplaces not to feel uneasy and depressed in the strained atmosphere among ruthless colleagues. Few of them manage to overcome constant psychological tension. It remains a serious problem of Indian society. And until healthy people do not change their attitude to HIV-infected, the situation itself will not change. HIV is not transmitted by coughing and sneezing; cups and plates; bites of mosquitoes or other insects; kiss, hand shake or embrace. In this way, it is safe to socialize with HIV-infected people and there is no reason to deprive them of basic human rights.

In different countries with high rate of HIV-infected, young people appear to be especially vulnerable. Indian teenagers may get into the group of risk as well. It happens due to different factors. The lack of information, poor service, and dangerous sexual behavior are among them. Most of young people nowadays become sexually mature at young age. Researchers admit that such teenagers have more sexual partners, including HIV-infected. Moreover, they are unlikely to use condoms. In India antenuptial sex and pregnancy are spread more widely than it is officially admitted. There exist certain barriers for proper service in sexual and reproductive spheres. Firstly, cultural traditions hinder to discuss this topic freely. Secondly, people are deprived of general information concerning this matter. According to recent investigations, the best way to make people informed on the matter of AIDS is to use mass media. In Southern Africa information is distributed by national program of HIV prevention among youth.

Although sexual education also contains information on AIDS and HIV, teachers often avoid uneasy questions and do not convey that information properly. If young people try to find some information or service on their own, they may face prejudice from the part of medical workers. In this way, young people have to rely on their personal life experience [Greene et al., 2002].

Researchers admit that many educational institutions still avoid including information on AIDS and HIV into general programs. It is no wonder that young people find it difficult to name some preventive measures or at least 3 features of HIV. Recent research showed that although many young people heard about AIDS/HIV, they have no additional knowledge [Lopez, 2002].

It is well known that India managed to overcome plague, famine and other pandemics. But AIDS spread is the most severe and violent of all. Relatives watch their closest and dearest poeple die slowly during two years or so. Medical treatment may only reduce sufferings, but is unable to cure the disease. Number of orphans gradually increases. Moreover, more and more children are left with no means to further existence, and many of them repeat the sad experience of their parents. Social prosperity is on the stage of extinction. Medicine makes desperate attempts to find the vaccine, but by this moment AIDS still remains an incurable disease. It remains the most mysterious venereal disease ever known. In the situation of global mobility, it spreads gradually all over the world. The HIV explosion causes panic in economical and political sphere. India has an unstable political system, doubtful borders and arm forces. HIV and AIDS attacks made its position even more unsteady.

HIV/AIDS is not only the problem of health protection. The reduction of population has several consequences. Firstly, the country loses its labor force. Secondly, the economy grows weaker. Orphans, deprived of parents, are often forced to work at their young age in order to somehow make both ends meet and survive. HIV/AIDS also became a reason for misery and poverty in different parts of India. The epidemic caused problems in the sphere of social protection and gender inequality. HIV is not a death sentence. Many HIV-infected people can lead a normal life for many years to come.

AIDS spread in India caused damage to existing achievements and potential for the future development. It sharpened existed socio-economical problems. It influenced separate people and the whole society, and led to the reduction of incomes, increase of poverty level and economic problems. A high level of illiteracy is the characteristic of poor people. They have little chances to get verified information and to avoid infection. Poor nutrition and living conditions make people more vulnerable to infections. That is way HIV/AIDS has a catastrophic influence on families and economy. On the other hand, expensive medical services also lead gradually families to poverty. Expensive medicines are available only in economically developed countries. Moreover, any kind of healing requires highly qualified medical personnel. India, however, has little chances to supply people with either qualified doctors or effective medicines, unless other countries help it.

In conclusion it’s important to say that recently pandemic in India became a subject of serious discussions. It has influenced severely different spheres of social life and continues to expand at high speed. Millions of people suffer from AIDS/HIV infection. Although, vaccine is still unknown, certain immediate measures must be taken in order to avoid a real catastrophe.

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