Abstract
HIV/AIDS has often been described as the most contemporary global health concern. The understanding of HIV/AIDS has come a long way from it being largely identified as a disease of certain selected groups (based on their region, ethnicity, behaviour and sexual orientation) and Africa as the epicentre of the epidemic to it being a transnational disease which has its roots in colonialism, poverty, gender discrimination and racism. AIDS as a global concern and as a significant international-relations issue has mobilized institutions and resources all over the world. Many countries have made huge allocations for AIDS prevention programmes and many policies and programmes have been formulated to reduce the rates of HIV transmission. But the way HIV/AIDS has been conceptualized in these policies, reflects a very positivist, de-contextualized and narrow biomedical approach. A lot of focus has been on ‘behavioural therapy/change programmes’ and promotion of safe sex. It is anticipated that awareness of HIV and promotion of condom use will help people practice safe behaviour and thus reduce the transmission. Such an understanding fails to consider the fact that behaviours are patterned by social, cultural and economic circumstances, which cannot be changed or altered by information, which is de-contextualized and insensitive to varied social settings. The paper examines the social implications of HIV/AIDS and how it impacts the infected individuals, their health, interpersonal, societal relations and their livelihood. By analysing the accounts of people living with HIV/AIDS, the paper seeks to capture their lived experiences. It also attempts to analyse the relationship of HIV/AIDS prevention as a Millennium Development Goal with other Millennium Development Goals.
Highlights
HIV/AIDS has often been described as the most contemporary global health concern
The understanding of HIV/ AIDS has come a long way from it being largely identified as a disease of certain selected groups and Africa as the epicentre of the epidemic to it being a transnational disease which has its roots in colonialism, poverty, gender discrimination and racism
Many countries have made huge allocations for AIDS prevention programmes and many policies and programmes have been formulated to reduce the rates of HIV transmission
Summary
HIV/AIDS has often been described as the most contemporary global health concern. The understanding of HIV/ AIDS has come a long way from it being largely identified as a disease of certain selected groups (based on their region, ethnicity, behaviour and sexual orientation) and Africa as the epicentre of the epidemic to it being a transnational disease which has its roots in colonialism, poverty, gender discrimination and racism. HIV/AIDS and health services: misaligned policy and maligned subjects From 2nd National Conference on bringing Evidence into Public Health Policy (EPHP 2012) Bangalore, India. Introduction HIV/AIDS has often been described as the most contemporary global health concern.
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