Scientific Facts on AIDS

7.6 How can the broader social impact of AIDS be countered?

AIDS exacerbates every other challenge to human development, such as food security and conflict avoidance. Therefore, efforts to reduce the impacts of AIDS must focus at the same time on preventing new infections, caring for those already infected and mitigating the economic, institutional and social impacts of AIDS.

* Efforts to reduce the impact of AIDS should focus first of all on the individuals and families affected, for instance by providing access to therapy, nutritional assistance, and treatment for HIV-related infections and other health problems.
* Children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS need to receive special attention,
* Social protection measures should be taken to preserve livelihoods of people affected by AIDS, including welfare programmes, child and orphan support, and public works to provide employment.
* Refugees or displaced persons are vulnerable populations that should be included in prevention, care and treatment planning in the countries that host them.
* The Chinese AIDS program could serve as a model in supporting families and societies affected by AIDS, since it offers free antiretroviral drugs, voluntary counselling and testing, drugs to prevent mother-to-child transmission, schooling for orphaned children, and care and economic assistance to affected households.