Today, no one is ignorant of the ravages that AIDS has caused on people. AIDS is now an international disaster. Even with the coming of ARVs that have brought some hope in the world of HIV, there is still the issue of stigma that is posing a great challenge. This is an issue that has been with us and we’ve always tried to fight it. Does this mean that there is no hope at all? No, there is still a lot of optimism in the battle against AIDS and the stigma that surround it.

We know the scientists are still busy trying to figure out latest developments that can be made on the treatment and vaccines of HIV. The fact that AIDS cases are on the decrease as is indicated with latest statistic reports is in itself a good sign that things are working well. Even promising drugs hold out hope that there is better health and prolonged life. If everyone would work on their attitudes toward people living with HIV, things will be even better.

The fastest way to get through this is to work on your own perceptions. Most people think that those infected got HIV through irresponsible behavior. This is not the case; some people were just victims of circumstances. If you have this in mind, it will help you greatly in trying to kill stigma. There are several ways of contracting HIV not only through sex. This is what most of us fail to understand. Even if you contract HIV through sex, it might not have been your wish to have it like through promiscuity.

We are the ones to find a solution for us. We are all involved whether we are infected or not. We are aware that currently there are no drugs that can prevent HIV. This means that the preventive measures we have in place are only behavioral. The challenge comes when people are unwilling so much to work on their lifestyles but they risk for infection. The difference here is that the trends of infection are still rising though the development to full blown AIDS is dropping. People have proven difficult and unruly. 

At least there is also hope for those who already have AIDS. Even though you cannot be cured today, there is hope in the future. If the scientists fail, we know God will heal all of us some good day. This is what we must look forward to. The only obligation we have then is to try and live this life well now in the sense that we don’t sin against God and miss the privilege of regaining our health.

I know all of us love good health. If you are not infected, take good care of the health that you have now. Be responsible, make wise choices and get rewards. If already infected, avoid being blood guilt of infecting others knowingly. You are also responsible for your well being by keeping the clinic visits. This way, you will live long and a good life.