Recent Discussions

World AIDS Day : December 1st

30th Nov 1999      Ankur Gupta @proman.net

                              World AIDS Day
                              December 1st

It is time to buy a red ribbon and show your support in the fight
against HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis

Where do we stand today as a global community :

   * 1 in 100 adults worldwide is living with HIV/AIDS
   * Approximately 46 % of the adults living with HIV/AIDS worldwide are
     women
   * 5.6 million new HIV infections occurred in the last year:
   * More than15,000 infections each day.
   * More than 95 percent of these new infections occurred in developing
     countries.
   * 7,500 young people aged 15 to 24 become infected with HIV every day
     more than five every minute.
   * Approximately 33.6 million people living with HIV/AIDS: 32.4
     million
     adults and 1.2 million children under 15 years old. 69% from
     Sub-Saharan Africa, 18% from South and Southeast Asia

Where can we make a difference?

The statistics above show very plainly that we are far from winning the
war against HIV/AIDS. Proper education is key in helping fight against
AIDS & Hepatitis.

   * Do our schools give children the necessary information to avoid
     becoming one of these statistics?
   * Do your chemists/pharmacy stores display condoms and offer
     counselling on safe sex?
   * Are there special interest groups that provide information through
     the media (television, radio, posters) to spread AIDS & Hepatitis
     Awareness?
   * Have you started a Campaign on AIDS & Hepatitis Awareness in your
     community?

It is important to share the knowledge we hold and to be open and
willing participants in the fight against AIDS & Hepatitis. Taking the
time to join a current HIV/AIDS Campaign in your community or
setting up your own campaigns can make a difference. A campaign can be
as simple as passing out Red Ribbons on World AIDS Day to show support
for the fight against AIDS & Hepatitis. Students can also arrange to
pass out condoms and information leaflets on AIDS & Hepatitis to other
students at university or to younger students.  Showing people how to
properly use a condom can be done in a workshop or a workshop can be
created for younger children to inform them on the dangers of used
needles and unsafe sex.

Websites not to be missed

AIDS Handbook
http://www.westnet.com/~rickd/AIDS/AIDS1.html
Written by students at Eastchester Middle School for TEENAGE YOUTH.
Includes links, AIDS history and treatment options.

HIV/AIDS-AEGIS
http://www.aegis.com/
Considered the largest AIDS/HIV database in the world. Includes top
related news story for the day, and advice if you think you are at risk.

World Health Organization: HIV/AIDS Surveillance
http://www.who.ch/emc/diseases/hiv
Site covers global epidemic and offers reports, data and epidemiological

fact sheets. Outbreak news and disease and surveillance information are
included.

AIDSonline
http://www.aidsonline.com
AIDS journal publishing scientific, epidemiological, clinical and social

research papers. Online astracts, editorial reviews and regular updates
on new pages.

Hepatitis-B related in India : ABCD - Action for Banishing Communicable
Diseases
http://www.abcd-india.com

World AIDS Day is celebrated today to increase awareness. Please
remember that tomorrow the problems will only be solved if we all work
together towards a better future.

In India ABCD is providing a lot of material to create awareness of
Hepatitis-B. Those willing to be involved in its segmented distribution
may arrange to collect these from the ABCD office by contacting them in
Mumbai on 8016434

ANKUR GUPTA

30th Nov 1999      Ganesh Babu Malapaka @mailcity.com