38 million positives – World AIDS Day: network wants a new name for HIV

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On World AIDS Day on December 1, a young network called for a new name for HIV. The argument: The term is deadly, but living with the virus need not be. Worldwide, approximately 38.4 million people are living with an HIV infection.

“We need to change the way we think and talk about HIV. And start at the source: by name,” members of Youth Against Aids wrote in an open letter to the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. They did not submit their own proposal. However, readers are encouraged to submit their own suggestions online.

neutral term
The term HIV is essentially neutral and stands for “Human Immunodeficiency Virus”. “The term HIV is deadly. It doesn’t have to be living with the virus (…)”, the network justified its claim.

Worldwide, about 38.4 million people are living with HIV infection, of which about 9,000 live in Austria. About 300 to 400 new diagnoses are made in this country each year, up from 376 in 2021. The Austrian AIDS Association (ÖAG) refers on its website to treatment options, including drug-based HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This is used when HI viruses are transmitted and can reduce the risk of infection by 99 percent. In a broadcast, the ÖAG criticized that those affected had to bear part of the costs themselves and that there were other “significant hurdles”. The costs of the necessary accompanying measures are high.

Rauch: “No reason to be ashamed of the test”
HIV tests are offered free of charge and anonymously by the AIDS organizations in Vienna, Vorarlberg, Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia, Styria and Upper Austria. In addition, tests can be performed by general practitioners and self-tests without a prescription in pharmacies cost around 30 euros. “It is important to know your status – for your own health, but also for the health of sexual partners. There is no reason to be ashamed to get tested (…). Together we can stop transmission chains and our reach the global goal of eradicating AIDS by 2030,” said Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens).

United Nations out of range
To date, the United Nations is still far from its goal. New HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are on the rise in some parts of the world. What is needed, according to Rauch, is open communication, more information about safe contraceptives, an easily accessible range of tests and good care for infections. With these measures, stigmatization and discrimination can be counteracted.

Source: Krone

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