PROJECT OVERSEAS 2011 HIV / AIDS WORKSHOP Education – the Social Vaccine Teachers Teaching Teachers

A GLOBAL ISSUE – A GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

5.6 MILLION With an estimated 5.6 million people living with HIV in 2009, South Africa’s epidemic remains the largest in the world. UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

10 Million Treatment could avert an additional 10 million deaths by UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

> 50% Slightly more than half of all people living with HIV are women and girls. UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

25.9% At an estimated 25.0% in 2009, Swaziland has the highest adult HIV prevalence in the world. UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

200% The number of people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia has almost tripled since UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

370 K In 2009, an estimated 370,000 children were infected with HIV through mother-to-child transmission (down from 500,000 in 2001) UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

37% People in sub-Saharan Africa eligible for treatment who were able to access life-saving medicines in UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

Global summary of the AIDS epidemic million [31.4 million–35.3 million] 30.8 million [29.2 million–32.6 million] 15.9 million [14.8 million–17.2 million] 2.5 million [1.6 million–3.4 million] 2.6 million [2.3 million–2.8 million] 2.2 million [2.0 million–2.4 million] [ – ] 1.8 million [1.6 million–2.1 million] 1.6 million [1.4 million–1.8 million] [ – ] Number of people living with HIV People newly infected with HIV in 2009 AIDS deaths in 2009 Total Adults Women Children (<15 years) Total Adults Children (<15 years) Total Adults Children (<15 years) UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

Total: 33.3 million [31.4 million – 35.3 million] Western & Central Europe [ – ] Middle East & North Africa [ – ] Sub-Saharan Africa 22.5 million [20.9 million – 24.2 million] Eastern Europe & Central Asia 1.4 million [1.3 million – 1.6 million] South & South-East Asia 4.1 million [3.7 million – 4.6 million] Oceania [ – ] North America 1.5 million [1.2 million – 2.0 million] Central & South America 1.4 million [1.2 million – 1.6 million] East Asia [ – 1.0 million] Caribbean [ – ] Adults and children estimated to be living with HIV  2009 UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

Over 7000 new HIV infections a day in 2009  About 97% are in low and middle income countries  About 1000 are in children under 15 years of age  About 6000 are in adults aged 15 years and older, of whom: ─ almost 51% are among women ─ about 41% are among young people (15-24) UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic 2010

How Education Can Prevent the Spread of HIV/AIDS In the short and medium term, education has the potential to: provide knowledge that will inform self-protection foster the development of a personally held, constructive value system develop and knowledge skills that will facilitate self-protection promote behavior that will lower infection risks enhance capacity to help others to protect themselves against risk In the long term, education has the potential to: alleviate conditions such as poverty, inequality, ignorance, gender discrimination and social exclusion that facilitates the spread of HIV/AIDS reduce vulnerability to risky situations such as prostitution and gender inequality

How Education Can Prevent the Spread of HIV/AIDS When infection has occurred, education has the potential to: strengthen the ability to cope with personal infection strengthen the capacity to cope with family infection promote caring for those who are infected help young people affected by HIV to stand up for their human rights reduce stigma, silence, shame, discrimination When AIDS has brought death, education has the potential to: assist in coping with grief and loss help in the reorganization of life after the death of family members support the assertion of personal rights

What are HIV & AIDS? HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. AIDS stands for Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome.

HIV/AIDS is a Complex Health Issue The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) weakens the immune system, hindering the body’s ability to fight other opportunistic infections (OIs). What is HIV/AIDS ? The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV attacks the immune system, resulting in a chronic, progressive illness and leaving infected people vulnerable to opportunistic infections and cancers. The median time from infection to AIDS diagnosis now exceeds 10 years. The effects of AIDS are fatal. With the immune system down, the body becomes susceptible to many infections, from the common cold to cancer. It is actually those particular infections and the body’s inability to fight the infections that cause these people to become so sick, that they eventually die.

HIV & Tuberculosis HIV and TB are closely linked; an increased pool of TB infection in a community contributes to the spread of TB among people living with HIV and everyone else as well. Consequently, as a result of HIV, some countries face the twin epidemics of HIV and TB.

AIDS Facts Where it is HIV is found in high concentrations in the following types of fluid: semen (and pre-ejaculate fluid), vaginal secretion, rectal fluid, blood and breast milk. How it is transmitted HIV does not survive long outside the body and can only be transmitted when certain types of fluid from an infected person enter into an uninfected person. HIV is transmitted through: unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal or oral) with an infected person (varying risk factors) needle-sharing (including steroids) to inject drugs or for body piercing or tattooing, with an infected person an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery or by breastfeeding blood transfusions - (Many countries screen their blood supplies) occupational exposure in the health care setting

Who can get HIV? Anyone can be infected with HIV no matter… –Your age –Your sex –Your race or ethnic origin –Who you had sex with

AIDS Facts: 1.Acute Infection Stage: During the very early (first days to few weeks after the virus has been contracted) stages of infection, some people develop a non-specific flu-like illness. This is also known as the window period as the usual test used to diagnose HIV infection (an antibody test) can be negative, because it takes a few weeks for the body to develop an immune response to the virus. 2.Asymptomatic Stage: Having contracted the virus, but showing no physical symptoms or signs of infection. (The virus can be passed from one person to another at this stage.) 3.Symptomatic Stage: The person’s body starts to show physical symptoms or signs that are mild or severe, frequent or infrequent and they may fluctuate with medical treatment (drug therapy). 4.AIDS Stage: Acquiring the Syndrome pattern of “Immune Deficiency” when the body’s immune system has broken down to the point that it can no longer fight off opportunistic infections (OI). The infected person becomes weaker and weaker. There are 4 stages in the development of AIDS

How to Reduce Sexual Transmission Sexual transmission of HIV can be reduced. Intercourse (homosexual and heterosexual) is a major route of transmission of HIV. Practising safer sex can reduce the risk of transmitting HIV. In order for transmission to occur, at least one partner must be HIV infected. The correct and consistent use of latex or polyurethane condoms (male and female) during sexual intercourse- vaginal, anal, or oral-can greatly reduce a person’ s risk of acquiring or transmitting most sexually transmitted infections including HIV infection, Use only water-based or silicone-based lubricants. (Oil-based lubricants can make latex condoms break.)

How to Reduce Transmission by Blood Infection through blood can be reduced. Reduce the infection through blood by the following practices: Blood supplies for use in medical procedures must be checked to ensure that it is safe Syringes used for injections for medical procedures and drug use must be sterilized and never shared. Needles, syringes, and other skin-piercing instruments used in scarring and tattoo practices should be sterilized or discarded after each use and should never be shared.

AIDS Myths: Discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS, or those thought to be at risk of infection, violates individual human rights and endangers public health. It gives people outside of the stigmatized group a sense that the threat of infection to themselves has been removed. It also drives the AIDS problem underground, making all efforts at prevention and care more difficult. HIV is NOT transmitted through blood donations in most countries HIV is NOT transmitted through mosquito/bug bites HIV is NOT transmitted through sharing cups and utensils HIV is NOT transmitted through sneezes/coughs HIV is NOT transmitted through hugging, touching or dry kissing an HIV infected person HIV is NOT transmitted by the sharing telephones, computers or coffee pots HIV is NOT transmitted by going to public places where HIV infected people have been (pools, theatres, etc.) HIV is NOT transmitted through drinking fountains or toilet seats

Illnesses Associated with AIDS Many opportunistic infections do not happen unless the HIV infected person has an immune system that has been severely weakened by the virus. Even without treatment for HIV, it usually takes 10 to 12 years before individuals develop these complications, however this varies greatly for some individuals. KS (Kaposi’s sarcoma, a form of blood cancer) Pneumonia (pneumocyctis carinii pneumonia – PCP) a form of pneumonia common in HIV disease Thrush (yeast infection caused by candida) Tuberculosis (caused by mycobacterium-TB) Lung disease Wasting, diarrhea – caused by natural environmental contaminant found in household dust, soil and water Cervical cancer in women Cytomegalovirus – CMV, a herpes virus that invades the retina of the eye (retinitis) and can cause blindness

What ART is Antiretroviral drugs inhibit the replication of HIV. When antiretroviral drugs are given in combination, HIV replication and immune deterioration can be delayed, and survival and quality of life improved. All people who need antiretroviral therapy should have access to it. The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed as a target that by 2005, 3 million people should have access, and called for the adoption in resource-limited settings of a public health approach to antiretroviral treatment as a tool to reach this goal. Antiretroviral therapy coverage in sub-Saharan Africa, Source: World Health Organization

Why is Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) important ? Effective HIV/AIDS care requires antiretroviral therapy as a treatment option. Without access to antiretroviral therapy, people living with HIV/AIDS cannot attain the fullest possible physical and mental health. Health care workers will remain disempowered and cannot contribute to the fight against HIV to the fullest of their potential. Without Antiretroviral Therapy, the progress to AIDS is generally more rapid. Stigma and discrimination will continue to be fuelled by the perception that HIV infection is a death sentence.

STIGMA & DISCRIMINATION AIDS-related stigma and discrimination refers to prejudice, negative attitudes, abuse and maltreatment directed toward people living with HIV and AIDS. This can result in being shunned by family, peers and the wider community. It can also result in poor treatment in healthcare and education settings; an erosion of rights; psychological damage; and can negatively affect the success of HIV testing and treatment.

Why stigma? Factors which contribute to HIV/AIDS-related stigma include: HIV/AIDS is a life-threatening disease, and therefore people react to it in strong ways. HIV infection is often associated with certain behaviors such as promiscuity, drug addiction and same sex relationships which are already highly stigmatized. Transmission of HIV is often through sexual activities which some may have varying value systems. There is a lot of inaccurate information about how HIV is transmitted, creating irrational behavior and misperceptions of personal risk. HIV infection is often thought to be the result of personal irresponsibility.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER