HIV/AIDS…Toward a Better Christian Response

HIV/AIDS…Toward a Better Christian Response WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Which words come to your mind when you hear the word AIDS?

“HIV and AIDS…Let’s Start with ourselves!” What about my attitude?

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE- SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF- IC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS

Why do you think you missed the letters F while they were before your eyes???

The reason we miss them is because we tend to read only the big words. We tend to skip over the small, less important words.

It’s exactly the same! For years people in Africa thought that HIV and AIDS was not as big as a problem as it was said to be. But suddenly HIV became a huge problem which we can’t ignore any longer

Let’s Challenge you more!

Let’s say that there is a very effective drug which could dramatically increase the life span of a person living with HIV , has recently been discovered . This drug is not going to cure the person , but instead of living for 8 – 10 years without medication , this person might live for 30 – 40 years before dying from AIDS • He / She will therefore remain HIV + and could infect people without the necessary precautions

The government has decided to run a pilot research project on this drug ,However the project budget can only fund one person’s treatment . This panel (You and all the participants ) has been approached to make recommendations on who would be the most appropriate person to receive this drug!

Our 3 potential candidates are • Marc - a homosexual man • Anne – a health care worker • Julia – a domestic worker

So who should be awarded the grant? Remember that this treatment could mean longer life!

Anne - 25 years old • infected sexually • works in a night club after hours to raise income • has 2 children Marc- surgeon • infected by patient • long-term relationship with George, a pharmacist • Julia • tested HIV+ when applied for life insurance for a home loan • infected during doing a tatto • husband died of TB (AIDS-related)

Now • Marc and George • Successful careers and wealthy • Anne • no medical aid • cannot get life insurance & her children will be orphaned • still works at the night club as a receptionist • Julia • lost her job because HIV+ • husband’s policy paid out 50 000 USD • invited to invest money in daughter’s business

We now can realize • How quickly we judge • How we base our choices on the minimum of information We all tend to put people in boxes!

We have to admit that • For many of us ,HOW a person became HIV + positive is important, Are they “guilty” or “innocent” • We need to ask ourselves WHAT difference does it make how people got infected..

What Would Jesus Do? We need to remember that there were “spit circles” by the Pharisees and the highly spiritual people while Jesus was on earth but he over-stepped all these boundaries by making friends with those who were “unacceptable”

To start thinking of serving our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ who are living with HIV , We need to challenge ourselves never to ask the question “ How were you infected”

Now we need to know more than the basics Let’s Start our journey!

Statistics

World statistics • WHO (World Health Organization) • UNAIDS (United Nations )

A global view of HIV infection End 2003

Adults and children estimated to be living with HIV  2009 Western & Central Europe 820 000 [720 000 – 910 000] Eastern Europe & Central Asia 1.4 million [1.3 million – 1.6 million] North America 1.5 million [1.2 million – 2.0 million] East Asia 770 000 [560 000 – 1.0 million] Middle East & North Africa 460 000 [400 000 – 530 000] Caribbean 240 000 [220 000 – 270 000] South & South-East Asia 4.1 million [3.7 million – 4.6 million] Sub-Saharan Africa 22.5 million [20.9 million – 24.2 million] Central & South America 1.4 million [1.2 million – 1.6 million] Oceania 57 000 [50 000 – 64 000] Total: 33.3 million [31.4 million – 35.3 million]

Estimated number of adults and children newly infected with HIV  2009 Eastern Europe & Central Asia 130 000 [110 000 – 160 000] Western & Central Europe 31 000 [23 000 – 40 000] North America 70 000 [44 000 – 130 000] East Asia 82 000 [48 000 – 140 000] Middle East & North Africa 75 000 [61 000 – 92 000] Caribbean 17 000 [13 000 – 21 000] South & South-East Asia 270 000 [240 000 – 320 000] Sub-Saharan Africa 1.8 million [1.6 million – 2.0 million] Central & South America 92 000 [70 000 – 120 000] Oceania 4500 [3400 – 6000] Total: 2.6 million [2.3 million – 2.8 million]

Estimated adult and child deaths from AIDS  2009 Eastern Europe & Central Asia 76 000 [60 000 – 95 000] Western & Central Europe 8500 [6800 – 19 000] North America 26 000 [22 000 – 44 000] East Asia 36 000 [25 000 – 50 000] Middle East & North Africa 24 000 [20 000 – 27 000] Caribbean 12 000 [8500 – 15 000] South & South-East Asia 260 000 [230 000 – 300 000] Sub-Saharan Africa 1.3 million [1.1 million – 1.5 million] Central & South America 58 000 [43 000 – 70 000] Oceania 1400 [<1000 – 2400] Total: 1.8 million [1.6 million – 2.1 million]

Always remember that statistics is about PEOPLE..Every figure or graph represents the faces and lives of people..People like you and me with family, children ,friends and loved ones..

So what is the difference between HIV and AIDS ?

H I V UMANMMUNE DEFICIENCYIRUS CQUIREDMMUNEEFICIENCYYNDROME A I D S

After a person has been infected, the virus starts breaking down the immune system and after some time the person’s immune system is so weak that they become susceptible to a variety of opportunistic infections . • So a person who is HIV +ve has the virus in their blood and can infect others but doesn’t yet have AIDS . As time passes ,their immune system will deteriorates as the HIV multiplies and destroys the immune system CD4 cells and the person develops AIDS

IF I was HIV +ve and you were to tell the people at home after this session . “ a person who is HIV+ve gave us a talk today “ ,what will they think ? What they think I look like?

HE LOOKS LIKE ANYONE !

So its imp to remember that A person living with HIV looks like anyone else . It is only in the very final stages of AIDS (which could be after 10 years of infection) the person will start to have these symptoms we have in mind

YES or NO?? No one anywhere in the world has ever yet died of AIDS

How does HIV attack the immune system?

How does it work? Your body is protected by the immune system made up of White Blood Cells (WBC).

Your body is protected White Blood Cells fight diseases and viruses for your body.

the Struggle Strong diseases make you sick, but the white blood cells usually win in the end.

Now….HIV attacks! The problem here is that HIV is a virus attacks the white blood cells themselves.

The Struggle – HIV the winner  After a very long struggle lasting years, HIV kills most of your white blood cells, leaving your body unprotected 

After some years with No protection Many other diseases attack and kill the body When this starts happening we say that the person who has been HIV +ve now has AIDS

Smaller recurrent illnesses. Infection • AIDS defining illness 0- 12 weeks 8 -10yr 1 – 2 yr Progression of Infection Window period Tests - • Test  • Asymptomatic Health/immune status • progressive deterioration • death

Opportunistic Infections

Death Infection 1 000 000- - 1000 100 000- 10 000- - 750 CD4 Count 1 000 - Viral load - 500 100 - - 250 10 - 0 - - 0 8-10Years 2- 3Years 0- 12 Weeks Anti-bodies CD4 Count Viral load

How is HIV transmitted ? Certain Body Fluids Certain Conditions

Blood Semen Vaginal fluids Breast milk Saliva Tears Sweat Urine Body Fluids High HIV Concentration (Evidence of transmission) Low or No HIV Concentration (No evidence of transmission)

Conditions for transmission of HIV • Body temperature • Moist environment • No contact with atmosphere Essential: HIV+ person

Ways of transmitting HIV Sexual activity Mother to baby Blood

Blood and blood products 2% Transfusion Needle pricks Intravenous druguse

Mother to baby(1 in 3) 10% Pregnancy Birth Breast-feeding

Sexual activity 87% Homo Less than 1%- Bi- Hetero-

HIV/AIDS…Toward a Better Christian Response