World Aids Day

THE COST OF HIV/AIDS

Decades after the virus that leads to AIDS and its ways of transmission were identified; the crippling effect of the disease can be felt in almost every country in Sub-Saharan Africa, where two thirds of the world's infected live. HIV/AIDS can kill individuals, destroy families, and weaken communities. The burden goes far beyond the health sector, with negative effects on the economy and educational systems of poor countries. Of the 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS today, the majority will become patients with limited access to health care, dependent on their family members to look after them. They will be unable to work making their families poorer. Children often leave school in order to take care of their sick parents or to work to make up for lost income. And the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS is still so strong that many people will not even use the word - isolating the infected and the sick, making prevention ever more difficult.

A RAY OF HOPE

Decreasing trends in total numbers of people living with HIV/AIDS and reductions in new infections have been observed in several countries. Over two million people received anti-retroviral therapy in 2006, compared to only 400,000 in 2003. The number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa who received treatment increased more than ten times during that same period.

International Medical Corps has contributed to these positive developments by providing community driven support to people living with HIV/AIDS in various ways: through direct delivery of medical care for people living with HIV/AIDS, confidential HIV counseling and testing, the provision of health education to fight the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, training for health care providers, home-based care, services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and programs supporting livelihoods of communities struggling with the economic impact of the disease.

Despite this progress, more needs to be done. Because HIV/AIDS reduces the workforce and decreases productivity, it makes people poorer. This results in increased food insecurity and malnourishment. It targets the overstretched public sector of poor countries and reduces the number of professionals in the health and education sector - leaving people sicker and less educated.

Working in 25 countries and regions, International Medical Corps recognizes that the fight against the AIDS epidemic is an uphill battle that requires a holistic approach and close cooperation with local authorities in all sectors. Integrating its programs into existing primary health care infrastructure, providing nutritional support to those who loose income due to the disease, and encouraging livelihood alternatives to those living with the disease is a cornerstone of IMC's battle against HIV/Aids.

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