By Mohammad Murad and Emad Haidari TAIF — A new health campaign has been launched here at Taif Mall to address the eradication of AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in children by 1435H (2014). The “Children without AIDS in the KSA in 1435H” campaign, which ends next Monday, is also aimed at raising public awareness on disease transmission, preventive measures, examination and treatment. Aali Al-Hathy, head of the campaign, said mounting the campaign at the mall is an effective way of educating the public. He said the pavilion has three parts: direct education done by health educators, pamphlet and brochure distribution, and presentations on big screens. “The main basis for this campaign is a modern study that says 124 newborn babies die annually in Saudi Arabia due to lack of education about AIDS,” said Dr. Dalal Namangani, Medicine College deputy dean and supervisor of Applied Medical Sciences at Taif University. World Health Organization (WHO) statistics published in 2011 revealed that the region has the second highest number of newborn babies who are AIDS patients — and the number is increasing because of poverty, lack of education and poor facilities. The campaign also aims to educate women on the importance of having AIDS tests in the early pregnancy period,” Dr. Namangani said. More than 50 male and female medical students from Taif University, as well as students from other universities in the Kingdom, are taking part in this important campaign. Besides students, organizers include physicians, health educators, nurses and psychologists. Dr. Jafer, immunology resident at the communicable diseases and infection control department at the Taif Health Affairs, said that the interaction of people is medium-paced. This is probably due to the stigma of being discovered as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) positive, because until now the community is not quite familiar with the disease. There are activities offered at the campaign aimed at blunting this stigma. Dr. Jafer said, “We have professional counselors who hold meetings with persons who are going to be tested. If the results are positive, we provide a package of services to the person including follow-ups and support along with treatment at one of our hospitals.” Dr. Jafer also underlined the difference between being HIV positive and having AIDS itself. “When we say that a person is HIV positive, that means he or she is carrying the virus and it is circulating within his or her body. On the other hand, when the immunodeficiency grows to a particular level and opportunistic infections will develop in that person, only then can a person be called an AIDS patient.” Psychologist Saad Al-Harthy said, “Our role in this campaign is to receive the visitors and meet them. We meet some patients and educate them about the disease. Advising AIDS patients is different from doing psychology consultations for disorders like depression and other psychiatric diseases. We make psychological analyses as the patients need psychological support and because this is a new disease.” Al-Harthy also said the Ministry of Health is providing some courses about consultation and voluntary testing. The Ministry has also provided testing kits not available in the market. The tests are performed quickly. “We take only a drop of blood to do the HIV test using the special kits. Within 20 minutes the visitor can have the result,” said Mishaal Al-Siyali, a nurse who is involved in the campaign. Majed Al-Zahrani, a health educator at the Taif Health Affairs, said that they have an educational clinic at the Chest Diseases Hospital. “Discovering the disease early is good for the patient. If he hides his disease, complications will be worse. Besides, his family can take necessary precautions to avoid transmitting the disease if discovered early,” he said. He also recommends for patients to have his whole family take the tests, which he said were not obligatory but optional. __
