The good news is that even though Lubbock County has seen the diagnosed cases of HIV triple this year, worldwide, there has been new HIV infections have dropped 17 percent. More good news is that people living with HIV has increased and AIDS deaths have decreased due to antiretroviral drug therapy. This means that we are getting better a fighting the devastating effects of the disease and our prevention efforts are working. Lubbock is another story. If Lubbock would stop looking the other way and actually teach kids to use condoms rather than abstain, we might actually be moving in a positive direction like the rest of the world. With all of the sex on TV and other media that kids are exposed to, it’s a pipe dream to think that most of them will wait for marriage. Our society is becoming more open and accepting toward sex whether Lubbock likes it or not. Until a cure for AIDS is discovered it is crucial to do all we can to educate people into doing what they can to prevent the spread of the disease. HIV is a highly virulent pathogen. The main reason it is so dangerous is because the virus allows it’s host to live for a very long time and without even knowing that he or she has become infected. Infections like Hantavirus and Ebola on the other hand, produce symptoms and kill their hosts very rapidly. It is easier to stop these disease via quarantines and treatments since they are so easy to spot. If we can continue to to drag down the numbers of people becoming infected with HIV each year there is hope that we can stop this disease as well.

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Officials working for the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (BACATMA) are hoping to bring down the soaring percentage of Nigerians infected with HIV by implementing a “positive marriage” program that will be offered to individuals who are HIV positive. The goal is to encourage marriage and monogamy between Nigerians who have the AIDS virus in order to try and limit the number of people who will become exposed to the disease. The BACATMA is offering counseling for couples with HIV and cash on the day of their wedding in order to try and give the couple the best chance they can get of staying together. The BACATMA is also offering employment within the agency to those who have gone ahead with a “positive marriage”. By offering all of these services, to help keep HIV positive couple together, they will reduce the spread of the disease. The program also helps HIV-positive individual meet other HIV-positive people in hope of some of them finding love and coupling up. The program helps those afflicted with HIV find hope and become a closer part of their community. While there are several opinions out there on this type of program, I believe it is a good idea. If nothing else, it is at least a positive program that can help those with HIV to not feel alienated from their communities. The argument can be made that This program will only work to bring more HIV positive children in to the world. While it is true that HIV can spread from mother to infant, it is not always the case. Besides, if an HIV positive man is monogamous with his wife, as opposed to having sex with multiple partners, the number of infected individuals is still lower.

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After I just wrote that blog about the HIV epidemic in Lubbock, I came across some enlightening information. Sesame Street now has a puppet on the show that is HIV positive to help in educating children about the virus. You haven’t seen her? Well of course you haven’t, because America thinks that idea is horrible and wont let it be shown here. The puppet, named Kami, is only shown on the South African version of Sesame Street. Finally, this seems like a pretty good idea to get across to really young kids about the virus, to plant the seed of knowledge at a really young age, and America thinks it’s a bad idea. Again with the ignoring something and we can pretend it wont happen thing. If you at least have the kids know what it is and what can happen with it, then when they get older they can know where it comes from. The puppet was born with the virus, and she talked with the other characters on the show about how her mother has passed on from HIV complications and that she was scared they wouldn’t accept her when she came on because of her positive status. But they do. This is something that should be shown here, I don’t understand the reasoning behind hiding it until it’s too late. Props, Sesame Street, for at least trying. Maybe someday we’ll stop trying to hide the truth from kids and educate them for their own safety.

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In Lubbock on the news for the past few days they have been talking about the increase in cases of HIV coming out. Last year, there were 11 confirmed new cases of HIV in Lubbock county total, and already this year there have been over 29 cases. So right now we’re sitting at around three times as many as last year. They’re blaming it on a lack of education, which I can see as being true. I just wish people understood that these are their lives. Not just, oh no I have to get some pills to fix this, but LIVES are at stake. I don’t understand why public schools refuse to educate kids before they get into these situations. We can turn a blind eye only so long, these new cases being evidence for that. I hope me writing this right now is at least getting to someone, if only one person. Simple education can help this. Wear a condom. Go get tested. Limit your partners. I’d rather you didn’t, but if you’re going to do it, be as safe as you can. Parents, talk to your kids. I understand it’s an uncomfortable thing to discuss but it’s on you to protect your children and educate them to keep them safe. If you never told them not to touch the stove, why wouldn’t they try it if they really wanted to? Warn them. Protect them. Educate them. TALK to them and let them know you’re there and not going to just punish them for being curious. This is something you just can’t pretend isn’t going on to make yourself feel better.

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