Every day, around us are policies implemented by the government that keeps us safe without us ever even noticing. We were fortunate enough to have learned that such things are normal and often are taken for granted. We bathe in clean water, eat at restaurants that have safe food thanks to health inspectors, we flush toilets and use septic systems to minimize spread of infection and for sanitary reasons. All these policies and more were created for the safety of the general population. “The Health and Human Services Policy and Planning Division leads a number of policy and planning teams aimed at improving the delivery of health care, long-term services and supports and human services in the state.” Policy Development and Planning Division. (n.d.)
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has created an updated plan to combat the spread of HIV and minimize AIDS related deaths. “Federal Action Plan: To implement the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States: Updated to 2020, Federal agencies and offices developed a detailed Action Plan outlining the specific steps they will take to implement the priorities set forth by the Strategy.” Federal Implementation. (2017) Such plan includes goals such as: Reducing new HIV infections, increasing access to care and improving health outcomes for people living with HIV, reducing HIV-related disparities and health inequities, and achieving a more coordinated national response to the HIV epidemic.
Save your time!
We can take care of your essay
- Proper editing and formatting
- Free revision, title page, and bibliography
- Flexible prices and money-back guarantee
Such policies have elongated the life expectancy of millions in America due to resources such as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) or PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), ARV/ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) and Planned Parenthood that fosters counseling educating people to avoid sharing needles, practice safe sex by maintaining monogamy and the importance of the use of condoms. America however isn’t where most of the problems lies. “More than two-thirds – 67% – of the global total of 32.9 million people with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa.” Butt, R. (2009) Due to its size, substantial population, lack of education and resources greatly impact the African community.
While it is a well-known fact that condoms can prevent the transmission of Sexually Transmissible Infections, “[Pope] Benedict [XVI] said that distribution of condoms would not resolve the AIDS problem but, on the contrary, would aggravate or increase it.” The Pope on Condoms and AIDS, (2009). The Catholic Church has long been against contraceptives (including condoms) and promotes abstinence until marriage. Yet, the Catholic religion continues to make false claims regarding the spread of this deadly infection. “In 2007, Archbishop Francisco Chimoio of Mozambique announced that European condom manufacturers are deliberately infecting condoms with HIV to spread Aids in Africa.” Goldacre, B. (2010).
“HIV & AIDS advocates have long maintained that the Catholic ban on condom use, though largely ignored in the West, has led to devastating results in developing countries dependent on humanitarian aid, which is often filtered through Catholic or other religious groups. Because Catholic leadership discourages the use of condoms, or religious relief organizations block their distribution, hundreds of millions are left more exposed to disease.” Joyce, K. (2019)
References
- Butt, R. (2009, March 17). Pope claims condoms could make African Aids crisis worse. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/17/pope-africa- condoms-aids.
- Joyce, K. (2019, February 23). The Catholic Church, Condoms, and HIV & AIDS in Africa. Retrieved from http://churchandstate.org.uk/2012/12/the-catholic-church- condoms-and-hiv-aids-in-africa/
- Federal Implementation. (2017, January 31). Retrieved from https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/national-hiv-aids-strategy/federal- implementation.
- Goldacre, B. (2010, September 11). Pope's anti-condom message is sabotage in fight against Aids | Ben Goldacre. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/sep/11/bad-science-pope- anti-condom.
- Policy Development and Planning Division. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/PDPD/PDPD/Policy-Development-and-Planning- Division
- The Pope on Condoms and AIDS. (2009, March 18). Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/opinion/18wed2.html.
Stuck on your essay?
