The United Nations General Assembly is gathering today to start high-level meetings on ending AIDS. The meetings, which will take place in New York City from June 8-10, will focus on ambitious targets for 2020 that include the elimination of HIV-related discrimination.
In a report released in May 2016 by United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon warned that the great advances that have been made in the past 15 years could be lost if member nations do not commit to investing more resources to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The report highlights success stories, like the reduction in HIV infections in children, while also drawing attention to the areas in the world where HIV infection is on the rise.
“We must reinforce rights-based approaches, including those that foster gender equality and empower women,” said Mr Ban in the report. “Access to services must be ensured for the people most affected, marginalized and discriminated against including people living with HIV, young women and their sexual partners in sub-Saharan Africa, children and adolescents everywhere, and gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers and their clients, people who inject drugs, transgender people, people in prison, people with disabilities, migrants and refugees.”
Patients with HIV develop many of the functional limitations that any other patient may have, such as sports-related injuries or arthritis. In addition to managing impairments, these patients may have problems with the disease process, infections, and/or side effects of the medication. A physical therapist will develop a plan of care to help the patient improve his/her ability to do daily activities, improve heart health, improve balance, reduce pain, and maintain a healthy body weight. In addition this plan of care, a proper home exercise program will be prescribed to achieve goals set by the patient or physical therapist.
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