I nearly fell off my rotating chair the moment I opened that box because, man, I did NOT see what was coming!
The Bermuda Triangle. Image Source: Unmuseum.
IT WAS A BOX FULL OF CONDOMS. Not just one or two or ten, but a box so full that you can even dive into it. Kind of like this:
Image source: Life & Style
Of course, I am exaggerating a bit. And it was not too surprising either. The UNAIDS office had just moved out before I arrived and had asked our office to hold some things for them. Still, a few days after discovering the big box of condoms, I was equally unprepared to find a dildo in the filing cupboard. My reaction to that discovery was similar to finding a big flying cockroach inside a filing cupboard. I can only assume that it was one of the props used by UNAIDS for demonstration purposes in their HIV awareness campaigns.
Holy shit, Shuri! You have been guarding a big box of condoms like a dragon ALL THIS TIME!!!
Should we take some??? No Shuri, that's stealing. But it was meant for free distribution. And there's so much of them!!! It's still stealing because it wasn't handed out to you by UNAIDS.
Besides, why do YOU need them??? Because they say it's better to be safe than sorry, and what good are protection measures if they aren't easily accessible at all times in all circumstances???
And how are you going to explain condoms to your mother?
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HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is transmitted by sexual contact, significant exposure to infected body fluids or tissues and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding. There is no risk of acquiring HIV if exposed to faeces, nasal secretions, saliva, sputum, sweat, tears, urine or vomit unless these are contaminated with blood.
GLOBAL HIV STATISTICS for 2016
- 78 million [69.5 million–87.6 million] people have become infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic (end 2015)
- 35 million [29.6 million–40.8 million] people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic (end 2015)
- In 2015, there were 36.7 million [34.0 million–39.8 million] people living with HIV.
- As of June 2016, 18.2 million [16.1 million–19.0 million] people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy, up from 15.8 million in June 2015 and 7.5 million in 2010.
- In 2015, around 46% [43–50%] of all people living with HIV had access to treatment.
- In 2015, some 77% [69–86%] of pregnant women living with HIV had access to antiretroviral medicines to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies.
- Worldwide, 2.1 million [1.8 million–2.4 million] people became newly infected with HIV in 2015.
- New HIV infections among children have declined by 50% since 2010.
- Worldwide, 150 000 [110 000–190 000] children became newly infected with HIV in 2015, down from 290 000 [250 000–350 000] in 2010.
- Since 2010 there have been no declines in new HIV infections among adults.
- Every year since 2010, around 1.9 million [1.9 million–2.2 million] adults have become newly infected with HIV.
- AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 45% since the peak in 2005.
- In 2015, 1.1 million [940 000–1.3 million] people died from AIDS-related causes worldwide, compared to 2 million [1.7 million–2.3 million] in 2005.
- Tuberculosis-related deaths among people living with HIV have fallen by 32% since 2004.
- Tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, accounting for around one in three AIDS-related deaths.
