And yet the world is good...

Today a really good friend of mine who happens to be HIV positive, called me and shared a story of the most recent discrimnation she has faced because of her status. Now if you have read this far and you have already started to make judgements, I suggest you do us both a favour and stop now! Even if she got infected for being promiscuous as the righteous and ignorant 'West' claims the rest of the world is getting infected, famous words of Jesus are "he who has no sin cast the first stone!"

So my friend, agent X, has a condom break with her boyfriend and knowing the risks that may present, they call a community health clinic, talk to them about the situation and then are asked to come in. For those who may not know, if you ever are exposed to the virus please make a move to get post-exposure prophylaxis within the first 24 hrs. It is most effective then.

The health clinic discriminates against both agent X and her boyfriend, refusing to provide help because they had no insurance, and also not continuing with follow up care. So much for equity in the US (lack of) health system and correct care for patients! The attending doctor went as far as to say to them "It will continue to happen so there is no point." In five years since being infected, this is the only condom break agent X has experienced.

The drugs they are prescribed do not have a generic version or least not one available in the USA-of course because the USA does not have poor people-so agent X and boyfriend had to shell out $400 for the first two weeks of medication. It turns out that the clinic forgot to mention that there is a subsidiary program which allows you to acquire those drugs at a much more reduced rate.

What is the moral of the story? Well, three things. First of all, patents for medications are a violation of basic human rights! Think about it. 90% of the world is plagued by communicable diseases, majority of which are treatable by medication which is too expensive for them. Do you really think they can afford $400 every two weeks for three months ($2400!!!) and all in the name of pharmaceuticals which say the money goes to R&D (my a*%). Greed definitely does not make the world go round!

Next, the health care workers are the ones discriminating?!!! What does that say about the rest of the population? If I cannot go to my doctor, regardless of my condition, be it CHD or HIV or even freaking malaria!! and not feel 'this person can make me better and I am welcome here' safe where can I go? And speaking of feeling safe, don't get me started on the welcoming attitude the church has had to HIV. Fellow Christians out there, wake up and be Christ-like. He was compassionate and kind and loving!!! Do we even know what that means?!!!

Last, but defintely not the least, say it was the other way around i.e. agent X is sero-negative and her boyfriend is sero-positive (i.e. agent X is not infected but her boyfriend is), she would be up to 6 times more likely to get infected by her partner than he getting infected by her. Unfortunately, those are the stats of infection rates in some parts of the world. What makes in worse is that if the female has any other infection going on, say clamydia, which by the way is the most common STD in the USA with 80% of women not knowing they have this infection, that increases her risk of infection by HIV several fold. I think it goes as high as 18 times with a herpes infection. So why am I saying all this? We are humanbeings, made to feel and to love and to be passionate and have desire right? I am not saying I condone pre-marital sex, but people screw up ya? So this doctor basically said to my friend, "Do not be human. Do not have sex. Do not share with the person you love. Don't do what you were created to have the desire to do."

YOU ANGRY ENOUGH YET?

Do the research, the facts are out there. Unlearn about HIV!!!