The government of Jordan has accorded great attention to the acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), reflected in the response to the disease since the detection of the first case in the Kingdom back in 1986.
The government has launched the Jordan National AIDS Programme, whose strategic objectives stipulate curbing the spread of the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), as well as alleviating the psychological, social and health consequences of infection on the victim and his/her family.
Its objectives are in harmony with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set to be met by the year 2015, which call for combating HIV/AIDS and other diseases and achieve universal access to treatment for all those who need i?.
The National Strategy for Combating AIDS (2010-2014) strongly harmonises with the MDGs and contains four targets which, when achieved, will stop the HIV spread and guarantee the availability of treatment for all patients.
AIDS carries a socio-cultural specificity, caused by socio-religious taboos related to the ways in which the virus is transmitted, especially sexual activity, which is responsible for 63.6 per cent of all cases reported in Jordan.
This places a heavy burden on the Ministry of Health which has to ensure balanced interventions, and develop plans and programmes that raise the citizens’ awareness of the disease, of how the virus is transmitted and how the disease is prevented.
These plans and programmes have to address many social, religious and scientific criteria, especially when targeting youth in the 15–24 age group, as this category of citizens is the most vulnerable to the disease.
The programme, especially during the last three years, has worked on creating an environment that supports patients by working on alleviating the feeling of stigma and discrimination, which, in turn, leads to their isolation, introversion and non-participation in social life.
It has turned to community organisations and civil society institutions, activating their role by engaging them in AIDS-combating efforts through the adoption, convening and implementation of many activities that seek to contain the s?igma and discrimination.
To that end, these institutions rally the help of a number of patients who have lifted themselves out of their isolation and actively participate in such efforts. This led to shattering the wall of silence imposed because of the stigma and discrimination.
The Jordan National AIDS Programme singles out core themes to target the youth and locations in order to raise sensibility and educate them and introduce them to the disease and the ways in which it is transmitted.
Undoubtedly, the programme has boosted progress towards achieving the second target of the MDG on AIDS, i.e., achieving universal access to free-of-charge treatment for all those who need it. In Jordan, AIDS patients are treated entirely free of charge.
The programme has not overlooked the role of health awareness and education in curbing the spread of the disease. It is understood that the number of cases detected so far among Jordanians, totalling 224, is not the real number.
There may be some hidden cases, when the victims themselves do not know because the virus is still in its incubation stage, which may last as long as 10 years. It is also understood that there are people who are apprehensive and have not visited the consultation and free examinatio? centres.
Therefore, some initiatives focus on the promotion of the services provided by these centres through advertising hotline telephone services, and consultation and voluntary testing centres, in order to encourage the youth to undergo the voluntary free laboratory tests to detect the HIV virus.
The programme emphasises confidentiality and privacy, guaranteeing non-disclosure of the identity of those applying for the tests.
The actual situation regarding the spread of the disease cannot be assessed without convincing the youth and those engaging in risky practices to avail themselves of the voluntary tests.
Jordan has made remarkable achievements when it comes to some of the MDG targets. It has come up with services that reflect positively on behaviour, practices and trends, and with sustainable development plans that strive to safeguard the health of the citizen, the country’s most valuable asset.
Jordan Times