How do you get HIV?

Health is more important than anything, If you don't have good health you have nothing. You could be the richest man in the world but your money cant buy good health.

Anyone can get HIV

How? HIV is transmitted through unsafe sexual practices, sharing needles and from mother to child but all can be prevented. We need more education and less stigma around people with HIV so more can come out and share their story. We need less judgement from religious circles as this is a HEALTH issue and not a MORAL issue. HIV does not discriminate and it only takes one mistake and it becomes your reality.

It is a health issue, not a punishment from God and people with HIV deserve our compassion.

Also, you don't have to be promiscuous to get it, You can get it from ONE unsafe sexual encounter but if you have safe sex with 1000 partners you will be fine. It's amazing the amount of ignoraance surrounding this disease 30 years into the epidemic.

The biggest rumour/hoax is that HIV does not cause AIDS. It is prevalent in South Africa. There is also a belief there that if you have HIV and you had sex with a virgin you will be cured which has lead to men with HIV raping children and babies and giving HIV to them and still not being cured.

Everyone should be tested regularly if they are sexually active and if they get a positive test result ARV therapy should begin immediately rather than wait until CD4 falls to 250. It would cut down on transmission of HIV even through unsafe sexual practices and the immune system would bounce back faster and stay stronger for longer.

 

Sexual behaviors that can transmit HIV

• Vaginal sex (penis in the vagina)


• Anal sex (penis in the anus) involving either men or women


• Oral sex (mouth on the penis or vagina)

The risk of transmitting HIV is greatly reduced by using a condom.

Take the Test!