AIDS is an epidemic that has faded into the background of American culture; we know it’s there but it’s not the prominent disease that the public fears anymore.

However, AIDS continues to affect people in America as well as in other countries. In a recent report released by the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, the number of people on HIV ART in low and middle income countries more than tripled to 1.3 million in Dec. 2005 (from 400,000 in Dec. 2003). In America we’ve had it engrained into our minds from the good old first days of sex education to be safe when it comes to sex.

Granted, the disease is still prevalent in America, but most of us can learn how to prevent AIDS or get treatments through clinics.

However, the clinics, doctor’s offices, healthcare, etc. that we take for granted in the U.S. isn’t readily available in low and middle income countries. There isn’t enough funding for services and people aren’t informed on how to protect themselves.

One of the major problems that doctors in underdeveloped countries are seeing is that pregnant women are passing the disease on to their children. Passing AIDS on to children develops into a cycle that will keep the disease alive and this creates yet another health problem for people living in countries that lack sufficient health care.

In Dec. 2003 WHO launched the 3-by-5 campaign to provide treatment to 3 million people in low and middle income families by 2005. The campaign was not successful because of constraints on procedures and products. Their goal was lofty, and while that’s a good thing they should have focused on a smaller group. Then, if the plan worked, they could have expanded the project.

Although money spent on educating people about AIDS increased from $4.7 billion to $8.3 billion between 2003 and 2005, according to the WHO, the extra money wasn’t enough. Without funding it becomes increasingly difficult to help people.

In the lives of people living in low and middle income countries AIDS isn’t a disease that fades into their background. It affects their daily lives, their children, their living situation, almost every facet you can think of.
Perhaps during our whirlwind days of neverending problems we can at least acknowledge and attempt to contribute to a cause that is causing pain for others.