HIV/Aids action medeor

What is HIV? What is AIDS?

AIDS is the name for an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This occurs when the body's own immune system is no longer able to fight pathogens such as viruses or bacteria that have entered the body. The cause of this disease is infection with the human immunodeficiency virus HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). The body's own defense system is greatly weakened by the HI virus. As a result, the body is no longer able to fight infections and diseases.

Both HIV and AIDS still pose one of the greatest challenges to medicine worldwide and are still not curable. However, over the course of time it has become increasingly possible to steadily reduce the number of deaths from AIDS and enable affected patients to live longer. Around 37.7 million people worldwide are living with an HIV infection, including a significant number of children under the age of 15. The majority of those infected - around 25 million&nbsp- live in sub-Saharan Africa. In contrast, Germany, with 91,400 people affected, is at the lower end of the global scale. With the help of various prevention measures in the form of educational talks by organizations such as Aids-Hilfe, the number of new infections has been significantly reduced both in Germany and in the more affected regions of the world in recent years.

HIV transmission

In comparison with other diseases, the transmission of HIV is much more difficult, as infection can only occur if the virus enters the human organism in sufficient quantities. Infection is possible via fluids that can contain the virus in high concentrations. These include blood, seminal and vaginal fluids and breast milk. Intensive contact with mucous membranes that contain cells capable of absorbing and releasing HIV can also lead to the disease. The most common cause of HIV infection is unprotected sexual intercourse, but intravenous drug use with used syringes and mother-to-child transmission during childbirth can also transmit the dangerous virus. However, infection through kissing, physical and skin contact is excluded.

Symptoms and course of infection of HIV and Aids

Shortly after HIV infection, the virus multiplies particularly strongly and the infected person often suffers from flu-like symptoms such as fever, night sweats, diarrhea and fatigue in the first few weeks, which often disappear on their own after a while and are therefore often misinterpreted. As the disease progresses, the body's own defenses begin to produce antibodies in an attempt to fight the pathogen. In the case of an HIV infection, the human immune system only succeeds in reducing the extent of the disease - but not in fighting it. Over time, the virus often multiplies silently and secretly in the body of those affected and causes extensive damage to internal organs such as the intestines. In addition, susceptibility to illness increases enormously. If there is no treatment with certain medication, sooner or later the immune system is powerless. Serious illnesses such as pneumonia, fungal infections or various types of cancer develop without any problems. Only then do we speak of AIDS.

Treatment of HIV and Aids

A complete cure for Aids is still not possible today. However, the multiplication of viruses in the body can be prevented by taking certain medications, enabling patients to lead a normal everyday life and have a normal life expectancy. It is important that treatment is started in good time and that the medication is taken for the rest of the patient's life. HIV tests provide information about the status of the infection. The earlier the virus is detected, the easier it is to stop it from multiplying.

How is action medeor involved in the fight against HIV and AIDS?

In the Congo, rape of girls and women is a recurring problem due to flare-ups of fighting. The infection rate is correspondingly high. There is also a lack of knowledge, education and prevention work about the disease. Together with a local partner, action medeor has established HIV counseling and testing centers in recent years and set up mobile testing units to provide people in remote regions with HIV tests. In addition, measures have been taken in prenatal care to prevent the HIV virus from being transmitted from mother to child.

What successes has the work of action medeor achieved?

Since 2005, the number of annual deaths among people infected with HIV has fallen by more than 55 percent. The work of action medeor, which has made regular free medical care for infected people possible, has also contributed to this. Among other things, the costs of transportation, medication and hospital stays are covered. With certain therapies - including psychosocial ones - it is possible to treat the accompanying illnesses and integrate those affected into normal everyday life. Another notable success is that the right treatment during pregnancy&nbspis increasingly preventing babies from being infected at birth.

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As the emergency pharmacy of the world, it is important to us to permanently improve the quality of life of people in the poorest regions of the world and to provide them with the best possible medical care. With your donation, we can make this a lasting reality. Become a part of our work now and help us in the fight against HIV and Aids.

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