franceUNDP_HIV

Country: France Committee: UNDP Topic: HIV

"One of the most devastating infectious diseases of this era is HIV/AIDS which is killing more than 2 million people annually"(Kazatchkine, M.). The real impact of the HIV epidemic is not known because many cases are left out of the statistics. Due to the inability to access HIV prevention, treatment, and care services, many people do nothing about the disease; they wait until the disease degenerates them. Moreover, drug use has also contributed to the spread of HIV. In France, 4% of all HIV cases were due to the reuse of injection needles for drug consumption. "As of the end of December 2006 there have been 327,068 reported AIDS diagnosis in Europe"(avert.org). France has the second most highest estimated prevalence of HIV. We did not begin reporting HIV cases until late 2003, when it became mandatory in the country. HIV was an epidemic that was ignored because people did not know the consequences. 4,075 cases were diagnosed in 2007, and France had a total of 140,000 adults and children living with HIV, that same year. We also have an HIV prevalence of 0.4% in adults and 1600 deaths that year. 60% of these cases were males and 93% of these males were over the age of 25. Moreover, 30% were homosexual men and 64% were heterosexual. Awareness for the epidemic has experienced a growth spurt. In 2006, 5,000,000 people tested for AIDS. Additionally, France, Spain, and Italy have reported more than 55,000 AIDS cases.
 * Country Policy**:

UNAIDS and UNDP are organizations supported by the United Nations to help combat the HIV epidemic. UNAIDS is an organization that provide statistics on HIV and AIDS which raises awareness about the spreading epidemic. UNDP advocates for a better life. They attempt to connect countries to achieve better opportunities for the citizens. They promote gender equality, poverty reduction, universal primary education, reducing child mortality, and maternal health. Moreover, the UN General Assembly on 2 June 2006 adopted the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. This declaration outlines what the world must do in order to break ground in the reversal of the epidemic by the year 2015. It also reaffirms the commitments to achieving the goals set by the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, which reminds each country that "With sufficient will and resources, communities and countries could change the epidemic’s deadly course"(unaids.org).
 * UN Involvement:**

It is well known that HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that will be very hare to put an end to. There are no cures available for the virus in the medical or scientific fields, but there are treatments that help the body elimate the virus. It is not a medication that completely destroys the HIV virus but it helps slow the process of a deteriorating immune system. Thus France, proposes investment plans to further expand medical research and to provide care services for people with HIV that can not afford it. Moreover, women compose 50% of those infected by the virus, globally. They should be provided with lectures on the dangers of being infected, for example birth risks and a deteriorating immune system. Additionally, if donations, contributions, and fundraisers were held, we could afford setting up community centers and caring facilities in developing countries and in the countries that cannot afford it. We need to assure that the next generation is born into a community where HIV is not still a growing epidemic because it affects population growth as well as the development of the country. Furthermore, these facilities are going to be responsible for testing men, women, and children for HIV, distributing treatments, and educating the community on HIV and sexual intercourse and how to be safe. Rehabilitation centers are also an essential part in solving the HIV epidemic. Promoting and enforcing drug rehab for consumers will help reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS through drug needles. They need to know that drugs can kill you but if they can stop and reduce the chance of death, but HIV cannot be stopped and it will kill you eventually.
 * Solutions:**

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