People Living With HIV Can Live A Complete Life, Health News And Top Stories

When diagnosed with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the immediate thoughts of many people living with HIV tend to revolve around a confused life that can lead to families abducted from them. People still consider HIV infection to be “death.” Sentence”.

However, this is not always the case.

With advances in medicine that help people living with HIV manage their condition, antiretroviral (ARV) drugs are used to control the amount of HIV virus in the body and ultimately the virus to others. You can stop the infection.

Dr. Leon Honam, an infectious disease expert at Mount, said, “Research shows that if the virus is undetectable (previously defined as less than 40 copies per milliliter of blood), it can infect anyone through sexual intercourse. There is no risk of doing so. ” Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

“In other words, people living with HIV can give birth in the usual way.”

First discovered in the early 1980s, HIV is a virus that damages the immune system and is found in body fluids such as semen, vaginal fluid, blood, and breast milk. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is often spread through unprotected gender or by sharing needles, syringes, and other lethal injection devices.

HIV can also be transmitted to babies from untreated mothers during pregnancy and childbirth.

According to WHO statistics, HIV and AIDS (late HIV) have killed about 33 million people worldwide in the 40 years since their discovery. There is no effective cure for it yet, but recent advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) mean that fewer people are dying compared to the peak HIV epidemic of the 1980s.

According to WHO statistics, HIV-related deaths have fallen by 51% and ART saved 15.3 million lives between 2000 and 2019.

Living with HIV should no longer be recognized as a death sentence

ARV has revolutionized life-saving and reducing the spread of HIV, but it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

A survey of people living with HIV in Asia this year by ViiV Healthcare found that 67% of respondents were worried about the long-term side effects of ART.

46% report side effects with their current ART regimen.

“Side effects such as nerve problems, fat changes (lipotrophic disorders), high cholesterol, and osteoporosis were problems with older drugs that were used 10 to 15 years ago,” said Dr. Leong. “The new drug currently used in Singapore is much better. The side effects are very mild.”

According to the US CDC, not everyone experiences side effects, but this can vary from person to person. Common side effects that people living with HIV may still experience include nausea and vomiting, malaise, headache, diarrhea, and dizziness.

In a survey conducted by ViiV Healthcare, 6 out of 10 respondents reported that overall HIV care could be improved, with 65% including ART regimens that consume less medication. I was ready to find a cure for. ..

However, despite concerns about their treatment, only half of the respondents in the same study were reluctant to discuss the impact of ART on their lives with their doctors.

Hesitating to talk to doctors about treatment may be due to false information in the past, Dr. Leong said.

“There is too much wrong information that has been passed down from the past,” he said. “And many people will be worried about the side effects of something new.”

Taking steps to optimize from the initial dosing regimen, tailored to specific concerns and considerations, makes a big difference in reducing the side effects that people living with HIV may face in their daily lives. It may be born. By closely monitoring their treatment, better treatment options can be customized for them.

Dr. Linleymin, an infectious disease doctor at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, recalls the experience of two patients she was treated for HIV.

Both patients responded negatively to the side effects of their first treatment. One showed severe liver dysfunction after being treated for some time, and the other showed severe reactions such as fever, rash, and abnormal blood test results within a few weeks of starting treatment. ..

Dr. Lin said both individuals agreed to undergo further examination and be monitored. It took four to six weeks for their medical team to come up with new treatments that were customized for them and what they could tolerate.

With that new life lease, one of these individuals experienced an exciting change, Dr. Lin recalls.

“He changed his lifestyle, quit his job, pursued the meaning and purpose of life, and went to the Malaysian jungle to help the underprivileged,” she said. “When this person’s condition stabilized and his immunity restored, he completely changed his life.”

Dr. Lin added that he is one of the most “resolute, courageous, positive and resilient people” she has ever known.

In addition to options for optimizing treatment, people living with HIV in Singapore have also improved their ability to manage their condition.

In September, the Ministry of Health (MOH) added 16 ARVs to the Simple DirectMedia Layer Layer (SDL) and Drug Assistance Fund. This allows patients who are unable to purchase these medications to help pay for them.

Patients who receive a grant to purchase a grant can receive a grant equivalent to 50 to 75 percent.

This makes ARV accessible and affordable for many people living with HIV in Singapore. Previously, people living with HIV could only receive support from the medication support fund on a case-by-case basis.

According to Dr. Leong, the ARV extended list contains many medicines that doctors strongly recommend.

By the end of 2019, there were 8,618 cases of HIV among Singaporeans, of which 2,097 had died, according to the number of MOH.

Advances in medicine and increased access to drugs mean that HIV is no longer the previously recognized death penalty. However, many people living with HIV still face the fear of being considered “contempt,” Dr. Lin said.

She added that HIV could be eradicated if this social disgrace could be addressed and combined with the availability of ARV.

“ARV can prevent HIV virus levels from being detected, or transmitted. Combined with individuals at risk of regular testing and public education to reduce social disgrace, these efforts Helps end HIV / AIDS in bulk. “

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS) has set a goal for the world to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

This Tuesday (December 1st) is World AIDS Day. People who live with HIV can and should live a fulfilling life. To help them tackle HIV, it is important to receive care and support not only in their direct circle (family, friends, community) but also in the wider population. This allows us to take a step towards our goal of seeking and receiving the best possible care and treatment to minimize side effects and achieve a quality of life.

“(People living with HIV) have all the rights to love, be loved, have a job, guide, have children, and influence society,” said Dr. Lin. “By ensuring good access to therapeutic, supportive and overall care, these individuals are empowered to stop HIV transmission.”

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