Kaisernetwork.org (Washington, DC)
1 December 2008
(Page 5 of 5)
Susan Blumenthal and Melissa Shive, San Francisco Chronicle: "[D]espite two decades of progress in the fight against [HIV/AIDS], there is still widespread stigma" surrounding the disease, "fueled by myths, a lack of knowledge about how the disease is transmitted and value judgments about how it is acquired," Blumenthal -- a senior policy and medical adviser at the Foundation for AIDS Research and former assistant surgeon general of the U.S. -- and Shive -- a Fulbright scholar and medical student at the University of California-San Francisco -- write in a Chronicle opinion piece. According to Blumenthal and Shive, the stigma against HIV/AIDS is a "pervasive, pernicious form of discrimination that deeply affects many lives" and poses "a major barrier to HIV prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment." The authors conclude that it is "essential" to enact a new "national AIDS strategy to stop AIDS and help end the discrimination that people with this disease experience every day" (Blumenthal/Shive, San Francisco Chronicle, 12/1).
Jay Levy, San Francisco Chronicle: "Complacency about AIDS threatens our progress toward finding new directions in HIV treatment and prevention," Levy, professor of medicine at UC-San Francisco and executive member of the AIDS Research Institute, writes in a Chronicle opinion piece. According to Levy, HIV/AIDS researchers "must continue our efforts to find a cure for this disease and a vaccine to prevent HIV infection." In addition, schools should increase HIV/AIDS education efforts, and more people should be tested for the disease because "that knowledge can curtail transmission," Levy writes. He concludes that "researchers, clinicians, public health workers and others throughout the world need to reaffirm their commitment to stopping this devastating epidemic in its tracks" (Levy, San Francisco Chronicle, 12/1).
Rob Renzi, Tallahassee Democrat: The "sad fact" is that many HIV-positive people do not know their status, and there are many "others who are not receiving care at all," Renzi, executive director of Big Bend Cares, writes in a Tallahassee Democrat opinion piece. According to Renzi, World AIDS Day is a day of "remembrance" for "those who have been lost to this awful disease and to remember those who live each day with the pain and stigma of HIV/AIDS." In addition, it is a "call for action" encouraging people "to take personal responsibility for their health and to be tested," Renzi writes, adding, "It is your obligation to know your HIV status." Renzi concludes, "On this World AIDS Day, I ask you to remember all of those people we have lost to HIV/AIDS"; to "empathize and reach out" to HIV-positive people; to educate others about the disease; and "most importantly," to "take action to keep yourself and your loved ones safe" (Renzi, Tallahassee Democrat, 12/1).
Amboka Wameyo, Toronto Star: Western nations, including Canada, have a "responsibility" to "help the African health system become more effective and inclusive," Wameyo -- World Vision Canada's advocacy and program integration manager -- writes in a Star opinion piece. He adds that the West also can "provide more drugs at affordable costs." According to Wameyo, "Canada can accomplish much just by keeping its oft-repeated promise to allocate 0.7% of gross national income to foreign aid. Currently, Canada's foreign aid budget is a paltry 0.28%." Wameyo concludes, "Ottawa needs to take its cue from that clear sense of responsibility and generosity" (Wameyo, Toronto Star, 12/1).
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, USA Today: "Every African-American community across the nation must mobilize for an all-out assault on HIV/AIDS if we are to conquer this dreadful disease," Johnson writes. He adds that if he and his wife, Cookie Johnson, can "spur a nationwide dialogue, I know we can halt and begin to roll back the rising tide of HIV/AIDS in black America." He writes, "Let's start talking today" (Johnson, USA Today, 11/28).
Sanford Kuvin, Washington Post: Kuvin -- founder and international chair of the Sanford Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the Hebrew University Medical School in Jerusalem -- writes in a Post opinion piece that HIV/AIDS "remains the world's No. 1 health threat," adding that it is a "grave risk to black people in particular" in the United States. However, "a nation with U.S. literacy rates and levels of cultural and public-health sophistication is capable of greatly reducing its number of new infections," he adds. Kuvin concludes, "Until we have universal testing and mandatory reporting, tracing and treatment, the government is failing to fulfill its obligation to protect the public health interests of America's uninfected, regardless of race and ethnicity. The United States has the opportunity to prolong uncountable numbers of lives and protect millions of others. America should choose to lead -- and leave behind its ineffective public health policy" (Kuvin, Washington Post, 12/1).
Bhagirath Singh, Windsor Star: Canada will "continue to contribute to global efforts" to eradicate HIV/AIDS, Singh -- executive director of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity -- writes in a Star opinion piece. She adds, "Today, World AIDS Day, is an important opportunity -- an opportunity to look back at how far we have come over the past 25 years in understanding, preventing and treating HIV/AIDS and an opportunity to look forward, to the day we will have a vaccine that is successful in eradicating this global scourge" (Singh, Windsor Star, 12/1).
Terry Duguid, Winnipeg Free Press: "It is easy for those of us who may not be as directly affected by HIV/AIDS to become complacent. We must not," Duguid -- president and CEO of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases -- writes in a Free Press opinion piece. He adds, "Canada must continue to lead globally and must sustain a concerted, coordinated effort to find the elusive breakthrough that will lead, finally, to a vaccine." Duguid concludes, "We can feel confident that when that history is written, Canada will be central to the telling of this epic battle for global health" (Duguid, Winnipeg Free Press, 12/1).
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