American HIV NGO’s are calling on governments to focus on the prevention of HIV and AIDS. They want more resources channeled towards teaching children and the youth on how to protect themselves against the virus.
One million out of 300 million American’s are living with HIV/AIDS.
For 22 years, 58-year-old Susan Rodriguez has been living with HIV. Two years after she was diagnosed, she established an HIV NGO focusing on women.
Rodriguez says NGOs like hers help give support and care to those infected and affected by the disease.
This she says has contributed to people living longer.
She also gives credit to the American government for ensuring that there is an abundance of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs).
But believes the world now should focus on achieving an AIDS free generation.
SmarT Co-Founder, Rodriguez says: “You have to be able to give people the tools and the support to have safe sex. Even my daughters when they were in High School, they would give out free condoms. They would show them how to use them. It takes a community to do this.”
Like in South Africa, America is struggling to eradicate the stigma associated with HIV.
AIDS Institute’s Johanne Morne says, “Education is essential in order for us to break the stigma, the misunderstanding and myths that relate to HIV and AIDS. Individuals need education so they can make informed decisions about their lives and also at the same time to be able to share what they learn with other members of their lives.”
In South Africa, HIV is growing in the 15 to 24 age group, while in America, its more prevalent among African Americans and Gay and Lesbian community.
Despite the different socio-economic challenges facing people from the US and South Africa, HIV and AIDS activists say both countries can learn from each other in finding new ways of combating the spread of HIV and AIDS especially among the youth.
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