Question

A person in your colony has recently been diagnosed with AIDS. People/ residents in the colony want him to leave the colony for the fear of the spread of AIDS.
(i)Write your view on the situation, giving reasons.
(ii)List the possible preventive measures that you would suggest to the residents of your locality in a meeting organized by you so that they understand the situation.
(iii)Write the symptoms and the causative agent of AIDS.

Answer 1

i) AIDS does not spread by shaking hands, talking, and sharing clothes, utensils. It gets transmitted only when there is an exchange of body fluids. So, there is no need to fear living with an AIDS patient.
(ii) Some preventive and safe steps to be suggested are:

• Taking HIV unaffected blood from the blood bank, ensuring the use of only disposable needles and syringes in all public and private hospitals and clinics.
• Making people aware of AIDS
• Advocating safe sex and promoting regular checkups for HIV in the population.

(iii) AIDS is caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a retrovirus. This virus attacks T-helper cells thus destroying the immune system. The common symptoms of AIDS are weakness, fever, weight loss, regular illness, etc