tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20236701.post7741886380674925566..comments2024-01-02T19:45:37.874-05:00Comments on National Security Policy: Is AIDS still really an issue?Robert Farleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12233771830519084383noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20236701.post-89771047648225775132008-12-04T00:21:00.000-05:002008-12-04T00:21:00.000-05:00Thought this statement correlated well.STATEMENT B...Thought this statement correlated well.<BR/><BR/>STATEMENT BY THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS NAVI PILLAY ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD AIDS DAY<BR/>1 December 2008<BR/>Following is the statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on the occasion of World AIDS Day:<BR/><BR/>“This year, we mark both the 20th World AIDS Day and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is fitting that during these landmark anniversaries we consider how far we have come in the global effort to combat AIDS. <BR/><BR/>In 2006, UN Member States made a commitment to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. Today, fewer people are becoming infected with HIV, and fewer are dying of AIDS-related illnesses. At the end of 2007, three million people in low- and middle- income countries were taking anti-retroviral treatment. But much remains to be done.<BR/><BR/>Twenty-seven years after AIDS was first identified, stigma against people living with HIV is as strong as it ever was. One third of countries still do not have laws to protect people living with HIV. In most countries, discrimination remains against women, men who have sex with men, sex workers, drug users, and ethnic minorities. <BR/><BR/>The continued existence of punitive laws on disclosure of HIV status, the criminalization of the transmission of HIV and travel bans for people living with HIV, inadequate protection of women and girls from sexual violence, the marginalization of and hostility against sexual minorities, sex workers, injecting drug users, prisoners and other vulnerable groups all combine to drive them underground and away from HIV services. Like all people, these groups are entitled to the right to health and the full enjoyment of their human rights even though they may engage in activities that are criminalized in some countries.<BR/><BR/>AIDS thrives on injustice and inequality. A human rights-based response is critical to preventing new HIV infections and mitigating the epidemic’s impact – whoever people are, and wherever they live.<BR/><BR/>In this 60th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, it is unacceptable that accident of birthplace or residence should determine our HIV survival prospects. <BR/><BR/>On World AIDS Day 2008, let the promise of human dignity enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provide the vision and impetus for reinvigorated efforts to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support”.<BR/><BR/>http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/F713DB94DACC3D59C125751200342F68?OpenDocumentAmandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329963552238827889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20236701.post-32073400660673377262008-12-03T00:01:00.000-05:002008-12-03T00:01:00.000-05:00I have serious doubts about some of your claims in...I have serious doubts about some of your claims in this post. First and formost, we live in one of the very few countries where AIDS is "contained" to any degree. And even this is a misnomer, AIDS statistics are hard to track because people are living, spreading, and dying from AIDS infections without ever knowing it. Russia has one of the fastest growing populations of AIDS in the world and they certainly arent a third world African country. Thailand, Egypt, South Africa, India, Eastern Europe, and Brazil are also develped nations that are heavily stricken by AIDS and HIV.<BR/>Secondly, claiming that drug cocktails (the 4 drug protease inhibitor combination that is most common) are extremely expensive, and because of bans on generic drugs, even in the US most people who are recieving these full treatments either have to declare bankruptcy and recieve the medicines from public health agencies. I have personal experience working with public health departments and can attest that AIDS and HIV always dramatically impacts a persons life.<BR/>You also make a claim that other issues kill more than AIDS. Again, so many people have AIDS but are never diagnosed that their deaths are attributed to other things. Also, you need to keep in mind that AIDS in itself is not lethal, it destroys your resistance to oppurtunistic infections (like scurvy, sarcoma, staph infections, pneumonia etc.) Again, it may be listed as one thing, but AIDS is the reason they have these infections.<BR/>Lastly to argue that AIDS is no longer a security issue worthy of the money it is getting is to ignore that fact that this is a pandemic that strikes most the adult productive (defensive?) population. Countries around the world are and will continue to experience serious society issues simply because their working age/ military age population is so stricken with disease. If posting on World AIDS Day, a little more complete arguments are needed.Buster Bluthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14851453984725155808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20236701.post-685256433766942722008-12-02T20:44:00.000-05:002008-12-02T20:44:00.000-05:00Remission was a bad choice of words. You're right...Remission was a bad choice of words. You're right. I stand corrected.Patrick Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13904347861461896317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20236701.post-43691127965960045152008-12-02T20:17:00.000-05:002008-12-02T20:17:00.000-05:00While you make a good point about other things kil...While you make a good point about other things killing far more people, I would disagree that AIDS has been effectively contained in large portions of the world.<BR/><BR/>The reporting from governments is entirely biased and skewed. In some instances government reporting of the statistics has been off by a factor of 10 (In a developed country I'll leave unnamed). Central Asia, Mongolia, etc. are dealing with an increase in the spread of HIV/AIDS and a decrease in government funding and interest in combating it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com