With governments differing on their HIV/AIDS prevention strategies, it is rather difficult to provide a complete overview of such prevention strategies in the world. What most of the successful strategies have in common is a comprehensive plan not targeting only one segment of society or only a specific area of HIV/AIDS prevention.

Prevention starts with adequate information about how the disease is spread and means to minimize the risk of infection. This type of strategy must be implemented on national, regional, local and individual basis. If a government is not actively involved in funding AIDS and HIV prevention programs, the successes against the spreading of the disease will be limited.

Only if a government endorses a program of, for instance, antiretroviral treatments for infected pregnant mothers, prisoners, and all infected adults as well as children, can there be any hope of stopping this epidemic. Such programs must include from the most basic information to complex reporting to ensure that new strategies can be build based upon information received.

One aspect of HIV/AIDSprevention often overlooked is that of infection by means of needles. Not only drug users, but also health workers and patients are at risk. It is essential to educate workers and loved ones about the absolute necessity to dispose of used needles in the appropriate way and to ensure that such facilities are readily available.

Other aspects of HIV and AIDS prevention which must be addressed is the free supply of condoms, minimization of speeches which do not approve of condom distribution, and the improvement of hygienic conditions in all public spaces, whether hospitals, public restrooms or transport facilities.

Prevention programs must also include adequate food and financial assistance for displaced families to prevent forced prostitution to substitute incomes.

At the end of the day it falls upon governments and related agencies to provide proper reports on their successes on the HIV/AIDS prevention programmes whereby the development of said programmes can be continuously adapted and improved to ensure the health of generations to come.

AIDS care programs are essential to improve the life quality of infected persons and their immediate family. Once HIV has progressed to the AIDS stage, the infected person may find it difficult to sustain normal day to day activities. Many of the infected persons cannot go to hospitals daily for treatment and will thus depend heavily on their family members for care and support.

The continent hardest hit by HIV/AIDS infections is Africa, also the continent where many of the people simply cannot afford advanced medical care and caregivers. Governments on the African continent must intervene to prevent complete social and economic breakdowns because of HIV/AIDS infections. AIDScare programs must include funds for the families who have to take care of the persons with full blown AIDS.

Before such can become a reality, the stigma surrounding AIDS and the misconceptions about infections must be addressed. People have to realise that by taking adequate precautions against accidental infection when caring for family members, they can still be close to the patients. In addition to such programs, it is imperative to also provide information, medical treatment access, and funding assistance for the families in terms of the related illnesses such as TB. Once the person’s immune system becomes vulnerable secondary illnesses may cause more discomfort and hinder the functioning of the person. For such the AIDS care programs must include free testing and treatments for TB and other related illnesses as well.

Once a family faces the prospect of losing a productive family member, has food insecurities, and the burden of AIDS care for the infected person, all hope may fade. For such the healthcare programs should also include free professional counselling and support services to lighten the burden on the families. Governments and related agencies should also ensure that they have the necessary information needed regarding successful AIDS care programs or available guidelines.

Every day there is more and more news coming from HIV research. The HIV pandemic is not over, and some may say it is only just beginning. Thirty-three million are currently infected and there are 7,000 new cases daily. The search for antiretroviral therapy is still on, but for many countries, a drug response just is not enough. The creation of an HIV vaccine is crucial to the eradication of the disease. This would be an injection that when taken, could prevent someone from ever catching the disease. Since prevention often costs less than treatment, this is especially important to those less fortunate.

The current antiretroviral treatment that HIV research has made available is too costly for many patients, and there are potentially long-term side effects. Also, daily compliance with the treatment is required. This is extremely hard to monitor in those who cannot afford consistent medical care. This is one reason the HIV pandemic continues to worsen. The discovery of an HIV vaccine could curb this by preventing many from catching the disease altogether. Those most at risk could be vaccinated in mass clinics, much as the flu is done in many countries.

For there to ever be a cure or an HIV vaccine, scientists need political and funding commitment from investors for HIV research. The only way to slow and eventually stop the HIV pandemic is to have both. The research for each must go on simultaneously so that one does not slow down the progress of the other. This requires extra funding and strong commitments. Many investors only want to support one or the other, with the mindset that both are not needed. This is just not the case. Everyone cannot be cured at once, and while they are waiting, the disease is steadily spreading. The only way to stop the cycle is to prevent those who have it from spreading while waiting on the cure.

In short, HIV research costs money. This money comes from investors. Each area of research, both for a cure and for an HIV vaccine needs funding in order to continue their work. The HIV pandemic will continue to spread without both a vaccine and a cure. The current treatments are better than nothing, but they are nowhere near sufficient. Further progress needs to be made so that treatment is not the only answer. This can only be accomplished through continued research, which can only happen with continued funding.