Health sysytems and government response to AIDS in America - Essay Example

Health systems and government response to AIDS in America Over the years, there has a high level of HIV/AIDSinfections across the world with an estimation of around 40 million people living with the virus. Developing countries have a large number of infected individuals, but Majority of the infected live in third world countries. America has decided to control the spread of the infections and manage the ones already affected. This activity involves both the government and the health systems (UNICEF 6). There is a common saying regarding AIDS that “you are either infected or affected”. This is because when one is infected with AIDS, faces the pain associated with the illness and emotional torture as one feels that unmet goals and objectives in life are no longer attainable; one also feels socially unfit to carry the normal life used to live before the infection. Someone who is free of the virus is affected since has to commit his time and resources in supporting the infected one. More precisely, the individual suffering, household, families, and the economy experience the effects of HIV/AIDS. Ones contributes to the growth of the economy is likely to decline and eventually stop as the stages of the illness progress. This is because the individual is dependent on others and the government on daily bases for food and treatment. As much as the American government works towards the attainment of AIDS Free State, there is a lot of weaknesses in the health systems as there are no adequate-trained workers. Although the government has invested in training health workers on AIDS management, these workers are not enough to take care of the wide infected population. Although health organizations have established management of information in heath systems to facilitate movement of information about AIDS awareness, the management of information systems in many health facilities is poor since there are no efficient and effective communication channels. This hinders the information from reaching the recipient as desired. This is a major setback in the management of AIDS and challenges the goal to eradicate it (Evans 21). The government and health systems have put a lot of emphasis on controlling the disease (UNICEF 20) by establishing Voluntary Centers for testing. Currently there is a huge network of testing centers all over America to provide citizens with free services where they can get to know their status, get guidelines on how to stay free from the virus and if affected, the control and management practices. Although this is a positive initiative, the government does not provide enough well trained nurses to deliver the services; this is a drawback. More so, people have fear for stigma from those who offer the services, therefore the government is working to provide testing kits whereby one can perform the test within his privacy and convenient time (Augustus 43). The government has identified that most youths are at high risk to contract (Chris 490) AIDS due to idleness and lack of employment. With the high rates of inflation and unemployment, many people lack employment hence in order to sustain their daily lives, they indulge in irresponsible sexual activities. This increases the rate of AIDS infections. The government has stepped in to offer technical trainings and job opportunities to encourage the youths not involve themselves in such risky behaviors. The government has also established rehabilitation centers for sex addicts where they get support and guidance on reformation. Commercial sex workers have higher chances of contracting AIDS due to the sexual association with many people. Such centers offer them information on how to change their behaviors and how get finances from moral activities. The government and other health systems have responded to the AIDS epidemic by establishing children homes for both HIV positive children and orphaned children due to AIDS. These children are offered free education and home care. Although this is a very essential institution on AIDS management and welfare, the government has not been able to establish such centers in every district. Therefore, there are still a number of orphaned children in the villages who are unattended and at a risk of lacking essential needs like food, education, shelter, clothing and medical attention (UNICEF 23). A few cases have been witnessed where organizations lay off infected workers due to their status. This is a failure on the government on establish policies regarding infected workers’ welfare and penalties on organizations that perform s segregating actions. Although the government argues of equality of opportunity, it is failing to reinforce it. When such people are laid off, they only become more dependent on the government their families. This is a constraint to the economy since some of its resources are directed towards the welfare of such people. Therefore people are likely not to go for tests (Chris 20), and care centers for the fear that once identified with the virus, they may lose their jobs. If the government steps in and places such policies in the organizations, people have assurance of their job security and will be motivated to know their status because there is no job related risks. Some companies’ especially humanitarian organizations have come up with a program whereby if an individual contracts AIDS is relieved of demanding tasks and allocated light duties to avoid stress (James 34). In order to offer support and care for infected individuals, America has started training programs (Chris 35) that offer information platform for informing the concerned group on how to stay healthy and contain the disease. This program offers moral support in the sense that the infected people no longer feel segregated as they can identify themselves as a group and share their challengers together as far as the disease is concerned. This action is not enough by itself since some individuals shy away from joining the groups where they can get assistance and develop themselves for fear of stigma from the society. Therefore, the government should come up with a program that will check such deficits and encourage people on going public of their HIV/AIDS status. The society should also be mould into a receptive one that does not view infected people as odds in the society (Michael 72). Health systems have stated rules on cleaning both injection and piercing materials to control the spread of AIDS. They ensure that only on syringe is used per person; there is proper disposal of the injection and piercing equipment. Health facilities enhance sterilization of that equipment if a material was to be re-used. This reduces the chances of exposure to the virus. These health systems together with the government establish health standards and regulations that are to be observed in the health centers. Regular inspections are popular to make sure every health facility adheres to them (Laurie 110). Both the government and the health systems run a condom promotion to curb the spread of HIV by making condoms accessible to every sexually active individual. There is the availability and access to male and female condoms to the learning institutions, work places, prisoners, and entertainment zones like bars and restaurants. This reduces chances of risky sexual behaviors that influence the spread of AIDS. Health systems practice prevention measures from mother to the child especially during and after birth. They ensure safety during delivery and offer guidelines on the childcare during breast-feeding to make sure that the bay does not contract the virus. In addition, they train traditional midwives on safe delivery measures and their importance (Ronald 90). This boosts the efficiency of their practices and minimizes transmission during births outside health facilities. Bothe the government and the health systems emphasize on used of ARV and ART for the infected people. There is the provision of free drugs to the ones suffering. This service does not discriminate anybody. These drugs assist in boosting the victims’ immune system and contain the ailments associated with AIDS. Although there is a lot of emphasize on the use of ARVs, there is no good accessibility to them. The centers where people can get the services (Chris 24) are quite apart therefore one has to travel along distance. This is a limiting factor since they are not easily reachable therefore some people do not have the finances or energy to travel such long distances. Therefore, the government should put a priority in making sure that there facilities are easily reachable. Health systems have put control and preventive measures on occasions of rape and professionals. This Post exposure prophylaxis minimizes chances of infections after rape or treating infected people where there is a risk of fluid contact. Nurses and other healthcare professionals are at great risk on course of their work especially during surgeries and childbirth. Therefore, the post exposure prophylaxis curbs the spread of AIDs from such activities. During rape, the rapist may be an HIV victim and transfer the virus to the rape victim but the above measures prepares the body to repel the virus from investing itself (UNAIDS and OECD 51). Generally, the government has invested in controlling and managing the spread if AIDS by ensuring that necessary facilities and awareness are available to the population. On the other hand, it has allocated inadequate budgets to finance the activities therefore making it difficult to execute its strategies. There is mismanagement of the little finances available by politicians and management in general. At times, there is no good allocation and prioritization of activities and programs in regards to AIDS control. Additionally, if there is enough and accessible information to the population of America, there would be people with good awareness of social behaviors that can lead to contraction of AIDS, prevention, and control measures. Employers will support their HIV positive employees and create HIV awareness in the workplace (David 87). People will e able to access d health facilities with ease by availing them in every district of residence. If the government sensitizes infected people to start their own income, generating projects in groups like small-scale farming and technical services, this shall boost independent levels among the people. They will be able to produce food for their households and get some income from the sale of surplus. Full awareness will make sure that there is no social barriers associated knowing ones HIV status and access to VCT. Work Cited Augustus, Kapungwe. Youth and Government's Fight Against HIV/AIDS in Zambia: A Closer Look at Some Underlying Assumptions. Lagos: African Books Collective.2009 David, Celentano, and Chris Beyrer. Public Health Aspects of HIV/AIDS in Low and Middle Income Countries: Epidemiology, Prevention and Care. Berlin: Springer.2008 Evans, Leberman. Boundaries of Contagion: How Ethnic Politics Have Shaped Government Responses to AIDS. New York: John Wiley & Sons.2009 James, A. Johnson, Caarlee Harriet. Comparative Health Systems: Global Perspectives. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2010 James, W. Henderson. Health Economics & Policy. Australia: Cengage Learning.2009 Laurie, Garrett. Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health. New York: Oxford University Press. 2003 Michael, Merson, Robert Black. et al. International Public Health: Diseases, Programs, Systems and Policies. Burlinton: Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2008 Ronald, L. Braithwaite. Health Issues in the Black Community. New York: John Wiley & Sons. 2009 UNAIDS and OECD. Creditor Reporting System on Aid Activities Aid Activities in Support of HIV/AIDS Control Volume 2004 Issue. France: OECD Publishing. 2004. UNICEF, Swaziland. Children and HIV/AIDS: government and community response in a multisectoral context. New York: UNICEF.1999. Read More