Curbing the spread of HIV<\/p>\n
Although it may have been well-meant, Chris Green's article in
\nThe Jakarta Post on Feb. 19, 2003, titled AIDS can be treated!
\nDon't get it wrong makes some assertions that should not go
\nwithout comment.<\/p>\n
First, under certain circumstances, treatment for HIV should
\nbe commenced before the onset of AIDS. One obvious case is when
\ntreating to prevent mother-to-child transmission, where the
\nbenefit to the unborn child from treating an HIV-positive
\npregnant woman -- who has not developed AIDS -- is well proven.<\/p>\n
But more than this, it is not at all clear that AIDS patients
\nbenefit more from antiretroviral treatment than those newly
\ninfected with HIV. In fact, recent expert opinion advocates that
\nthe best time for aggressive therapy is when the viral load,
\nwhich is the quantity of the virus in the patient's blood, is
\nlow. This corresponds to the period early in the infection and
\nnot at the onset of AIDS, when the viral load is typically high.
\nEarly treatment, it is said, effectively weakens the virus,
\ngiving it less opportunity to take hold while at the same time,
\nimproving the patient's own immune system the capacity to fight
\nthe infection.<\/p>\n
I was also alarmed to read about the plight of Sulasi, who has
\nto contend with the lack of specialist medical care in Malang.
\nWhile medical practitioners who care for patients like Sulasi
\nshould be highly commended, HIV infection is a complex disease
\nrequiring regular expert intervention if it is to be properly
\nmanaged.<\/p>\n
Specialist education for such doctors should therefore be a
\nhigh priority for any government aiming to curb the spread of
\nHIV.<\/p>\n
DAVID BEINS, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/curbing-the-spread-of-hiv-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }