Re:Topic 2 DQ 2

In today’s interconnected world, a disease threat anywhere is a disease threat everywhere. With the ease and speed of global travel and a rapidly expanding business network, it is very easy for diseases to spread within cities, nations and globally. It is with this need the United States department of Health and Human Services Office of Global Affairs is supporting implementation of global health security agenda to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threat.

A global issue that should deserves serious attention is HIV/AIDS. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It weakens a person’s immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. While AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This HIV/AIDS pandemic is the world’s leading infectious killer. Worldwide, there are 37 million people living with HIV. 1.2 of 10.4 million people with active TB each year also have HIV (CDC,2017).

Most states have now implemented HIV surveillance reports and thus, the prevalence estimates of HIV cases are more reliable, Nonetheless, these HIV surveillance reports may not reflect the true number of HIV-positive persons because many people do not want to know their HIV status and are not tested, while others use widely available home testing kits and do not share their HIV status with at-risk intimate partners. An estimated 21% of HIV-infected persons are unaware of their HIV status (CDC, 2010m).

The United States and other governmental agencies are coming together to work collaboratively to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Some agencies such as the Department of the State to provide essential leadership to interagency by providing human resource services, budget tracking, funds transfers to other agencies, and by providing office space and other important technologies. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) work to provide prevention, treatment and care programs to developing countries in conjunction with the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The HHS and PEPFAR work in conjunction with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institute of Health (NIH), Office of Global Affairs (OGA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Labor (DOL), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Peace Corps all in the common tide to turn against HIV/AIDS. CDC in its fight against HIV/AIDS, provides antiretroviral treatment for men, women and children, antiretroviral treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission, voluntary medical male circumcisions, Screenings of HIV-positive persons in care for TB and HIV counselling and testing.

It is evident that the United States in conjunction with other countries are taking necessary measures to fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.