Healthyvives Health Blog

Need and importance of counseling of the HIV/AIDS victims
Conveying a positive HIV result to an affected person is a very serious matter. A positive test result is like passing a death sentence on that person. It is also like passing a moral judgment on that person. As the commonest mode of acquiring this infection is through the sexual route, morality of the affected person is very often judged. There is stigma attached to this disease in the society. Hence, the test results may upset the patient.
A patient may have varied reactions to a positive test result. He may be shocked. He may not believe the report (denial). He may become anxious about his future, become scared, depressed or angry. Sometimes these reactions can have bad consequences, so that he/she may decide to end his life or become careless and spread the disease to other persons. A patient will have different coping mechanisms to counter the shock. He/she may like his/her family and friends to know about the disease or he/ she may like to hide the fact. Before the test is conducted the mind set of the patient has to be tuned such that he/she is able to cope up with the test result.
HIV transmission through intravenous drug use (IVDU)
Intravenous drug use acts as a source of transmission of HIV because drug users frequently share syringes and needles to inject drugs. These instruments are not sterilized before use. Small volumes of contaminated blood remains inside previously used needles and syringes thereby providing opportunities to transmit the virus via their blood contents. In the early years of the epidemic, studies found links between HIV drug users and male homosexuals who were already infected with HIV. The overlap of these two groups facilitated in the introduction of HIV into drug using population and then to the sex partners of the drug users.
Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and HIV/AIDS
Today, we have a well-developed medical jurisprudence. Damages can be sought for unethical, deficient or negligent Medicare. Medical negligence can be brought before the courts for damages under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. This Act can also be used to fight AIDS. If contaminated blood is supplied, the amount paid can be got refunded along with the compensation. In the same manner, tattooing, faulty blood testing, side effects from medicines, misleading medical or Para-medical publications or teachings, etc. are all actionable under law.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is yet another common STD prevalent among both men and women. Very often it occurs in conjunction with gonorrhea. In many cases, the infection does not produce any symptoms at all. In women, complications of Chlamydia infection include pelvic inflammatory disease, entopic pregnancy and infertility. It can affect newborn children at the time of the birth if the mother is infected. In these newborns it can cause infection in the eye, throat, urethra and rectum. It can also cause pneumonia in children from the age of 1 to 3 months.
Prisoners and HIV
Until recently prisoners were tested for HIV/AIDS without their consent and segregated if they tested positive. But at least in theory this has changed now. Condoms are not generally available in prisons where unprotected sex is part of the environment. Needles and other implements affiliated with drug injection are prohibited.
HIV/AIDS policy for prisons and institutions are the same as applied to the general public. Testing is done voluntarily. Segregation of HIV infected prisoners is not permitted. Various ministries provide counseling care and support. There is no special HIVIAIDS policy for work places and policies with regard to sick leave; disability supports, occupational health safety etc. and similar like other diseases.