World AIDS day is a day to raise awareness for people worldwide to unite for the fight against HIV/AIDS, observe and demonstrate international solidarity around the disease, and show support to people infected with HIV and commemorate those who have died.
What are HIV and AIDS?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, an infection that attacks the body’s immune system, especially the white blood cells called the CD4 cells. HIV destroys these CD4 cells, weakening the person’s immunity against severe bacterial infections and some cancers.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the advanced stage of HIV, where the body has little to no immunity left. It can take many years to develop if not treated, depending on the individual. A patient with AIDS is left vulnerable to various diseases and cancers, which can be fatal due to a severely weakened system.
How to improve awareness and contribute to a healthier outcome?
Approximately 38 million people globally have HIV/AIDS. HIV awareness days have been designated in the United States, and they are observed in many other countries. In addition, they provide an opportunity to educate communities worldwide about the importance of HIV prevention, the need to raise awareness, raise funds and fight commonly associated stigmas.
With greater awareness and an improvement in the quality of treatment and care services for people with HIV/AIDS, more can be done to understand the disease and put practical ways to manage it better.
Caregiving for persons with HIV/AIDS
No satisfactory treatment for HIV/AIDS is yet available; caregiving services for persons living with HIV include antiretroviral therapy (ART) and medication to improve the patient’s quality of life by suppressing the replication of the virus. What is more, the task involves meeting the needs of the sick person and balancing these needs with other members of the family. Too much help may be overprotective and affect the dignity, independence, and self-respect of the person with HIV/AIDS. At the same time, too little care may not provide the support to ensure that person feeds well and has enough strength to resist the infection.
Seek caregiving services from Comfort paradise HCA
Caring for a person with HIV/AIDS may be a family member, neighbor, relative, or friend is not easy, and the carer needs support. Comfort paradise provides substantial committed services, with professional caregivers trained at dealing with different issues and challenges surrounding the care and treatment of HIV/AIDS patients. We are conscious of the psychological, emotional, and financial challenges of caregiving on a full-time basis. Our home care services provide appropriate guidance and supervision; collaborate with our nurses to dispense your loved one with a manageable day-to-day life.
References;
HIV/AIDS: Managing a chronic disease. https://pharmacy.primetherapeutics.com/en/services-solutions/connect/2015/hiv_aids.html
Idowu, Peter, et al. “Survival Model for Pediatric HIV/AIDS Patient Using C4.5 Decision Tree Algorithm.” International Journal of Child Health and Human Development, vol. 10, no. 2, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., Apr. 2017, p. 143.
Minority outreach program responds to spike in HIV cases… https://www.syracuse.com/news/2010/04/minority_outreach_program_resp.html