HIV-AIDS 2017: Why Proper Funding Is an Investment
Based on a recent study conducted by the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration, the life expectancy of young HIV patients is just about the same as the general population. This astounding feat is made possible by the substantial investments of U.S. taxpayers.
According to a report by U.S. News, the federal government spent about $33 billion on HIV/AIDS care, prevention and research last year alone. The $26.4 billion was allotted domestically, and the remaining $6.6 billion was allocated for international funding.
The publication asserts that with President Donald Trump in power, the 2017 budget for the said cause is most likely to decrease. About $340 million will be stripped from domestic and international funding, while about $6 billion will be cut from the global fund for the disease's treatment and prevention.
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HIV is a growing epidemic. Failure to act on the cause might just make things worse for communities. For instance, in 2015, Scott County, Indiana saw an HIV outbreak due to the lack of proper resources for its prevention. The community, which had 11 HIV patients at the start of the year, saw 135 confirmed cases by April, and 170 by June.
According to the New York Times, in the U.S. the number of HIV patients is increasing each year, especially among black gay and bisexual men, which the publication dubbed the "hidden epidemic." The New York Times reported that this community has a higher HIV rate than any other country.
The Southern states, particularly in Jackson, Mississippi, have the highest HIV rates among gay and bisexual men.
In the global scene, Russia is also seeing an epidemic, which continues to spread through intravenous drug use. Drug abusers in the country have been injecting tropicamide, which is typically used by doctors to amplify effects of other substances. But it is their sharing of contaminated needles that is making the disease widespread.
All around the globe, HIV remains a threat to various communities. Without proper funding for treatment and prevention, the world might see worse.
