HIV and AIDS

My latest travels 2 weeks ago took me to Goli, Uganda where World Concern has a small clinic

I was having coffee with my friend in a cafe recently when Hans Rosling walked in. Once you see this man give a lecture, you will never forget him- he takes data and he presents it, or rather brings it to life, like noone else can. Makes you wish all your professors were like this. I recently attended a stunning lecture where he talked about some of the common myths about the developing world and why we must not think of it as ‘us’ and ‘them’ any longer, how all countries are on a trajectory to health with some so-called developing countries moving twice as fast as their western counterparts.

For a child who faces discrimination due to his or her association with HIV and AIDS, the opportunity to play amongst peers is priceless.

For a child grieving the loss of a parent or sibling, the opportunity to escape from it all (even for an afternoon), can be therapeutic and healing.

It’s an interesting thing, because when you spend time out in the field, you never know when you will run across moments-simple and meaningful moments.

That’s what I love about working in the field.

One moment you can feel completely engulfed by the misery of the suffering and the stigma resulting from the AIDS pandemic and yet in the next breath …

Currently many people take 3 taxis and over 2 hours each way to attend these HIV and AIDS support sessions, despite the fact that there is a group meeting in their own neighborhood.

They go the same distance to receive medical care at a hospital far from where they live.

Why take such measures? For the simple reason of anonymity.

It’s no mystery that the stigma against HIV and AIDS is the driving force behind many obstacles to preventing and treating the disease.

Fear of stigma leads to unwillingness to get tested, discrimination leads to vulnerabilities, such as poverty, that lead to higher risk of infection. Now add…

To take risks is to be human. Does the increasing availability of Treatment and methods of prevention..

Pastor Joel is living with HIV. He has experienced first hand the stigma that follows the disease in Haiti.

The pope’s recent pronouncement about condoms making the HIV problem has the potential to…..

Follow my journey through Africa as I investigate AIDS and the impact it is having on people there.

HIV prevention needs of people who are HIV positive have been largely ignored. What is being done?

HIV and AIDS is serious business. Get background on why we started this blog and what to expect.