The+Future+of+AIDS

HIV testing is vitally important to determine the future of the virus. The 2007-2011 National Strategic Plan is aiming for a quarter of the population to take the test every year. Testing for HIV and AIDS has significant benefits, including being more likely to be in employment, have accurate HIV knowledge, and a higher perception of risk. The number of people receiving treatment for HIV in South Africa is increasing dramatically. Efforts to tackle HIV are now being facilitated by the government, which is definitely improving the issue. Recent trends indicate a possible turning point in the epidemic, with infection rates decreasing among youth. A contributor in the fight against HIV is the increased condom use among younger age groups in Africa, lowering the transmission rate greatly. A lot more work still needs to be done to further lessen this issue.

The King of Swaziland has been criticized for his blatant disregard for the issue of AIDS. He has spent a lot of money taking his 13 wives on an international shopping trip, but he apparently can’t donate any money for the AIDS issue. In order to reduce HIV transmission rates, greater involvement from the King will be needed. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, is America’s contribution to combating the AIDS epidemic. They have started a new campaign called the “love test,” which is hoped to get couples to get tested for HIV out of love for each other. The idea is to stop the trend of people not disclosing their status to their partners, so that they will not contribute to the spread of HIV. The Swazi government has also started some initiatives for the future of AIDS in Swaziland. Swaziland has introduced a program for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Now, most women are able to be tested for HIV, and they can then receive treatment to prevent the transmission.