brief video - hiv in afghanistan

[next2u]

http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/24146051

[hope_for_a_cure]

Heartwrenching isnt it? 

[tednlou2]

This is very interesting.  Many would wonder how HIV got into such a closed country.  We don't think of Afghanis being world travelers or westerners visiting there and developing relationships with people.  But, it obviously got there somehow.  It could have been brought in by one or two people--probably in the same way it came out of Africa.  But, there were many westerners living and working in Africa--not to mention British control of African countries.  In a country like Afghanistan, it would be interesting if they could have traced the virus back to patient zero.  It could have been one Afghani who left the country, had sex or used dirty needles, and brought the virus back.  Was it brought in by Russians in the 80's?  Americans now?  I just think it would be interesting to show how fast HIV can spread from one or a very few people and then blow up through drug use and sex.  I know while many don't think Afghanis are very sexual, we know women are used for sex and young boys are used by wealthy, older men for sex.  But, again, we think of them having sex and doing drugs with each other and not with others around the world.  But, someone or some people obviously did. 

I've thought about the same thing with North Korea.  Most people there have never seen an outsider.  I wonder what infection rates are like there.  But, besides my curiosity about how HIV gets into a seemingly closed society, I'm left wondering what will happen to these people.  Will they have access to meds?  With the extreme stigma, I can't imagine people even seeking meds out even if they were availiable.  Drug use is a big problem there.  I can only expect HIV cases to get much worse.         

[Jeffreyj]

Damn that is so sad. Those people must feel so hopeless.

It breaks your heart to see this.

[WillyWump]

Extremely sad.

-Will