Did you know that Miami is now the number 1 metropolitan area in terms of new cases of HIV/AIDS in the United States? Did you also know that AIDS is the world’s leading infectious disease to cause of death? I bet you also did not know that 1 in 5 people in the United States that have HIV do not know their status.
These statistics are staggering. With all that said, one has to wonder what the University is doing to educate the students on the silent plague hampering our communities. We feel as a [part of the student] body of the University, Florida International University needs to take action and begin addressing ways to combat this disease.
While researching on statistics for HIV/AIDS for our course, Biology of AIDS, we stumbled upon the annual Trojan© Sexual Health Report Card, in which universities across the country are graded on their efforts to promote sexual health. In 2011, FIU is ranked 76, the year before we were 49. The report card is based on many factors such as health center hours of operation, separate sexual health awareness programs for students, condom and contraceptive availability, outreach programs for sexual health issues, and anonymous advice for students through the health center such as via text and email.
Although there are student ran organizations that curtail to reproductive and sexual health issues, we feel that the university should do more to get involved in this fight against HIV/AIDS and various reproductive health issues. Suggestions are placing condom baskets or dispensaries in bathrooms, having an anonymous phone bank system ran by peer educators, having forums to debunk myths of sexually transmitted infections with statistics, and sending out newsletters to students encouraging them to get tested with information on obtaining counseling and joining student groups on campus that they can be a part of to further address reproductive health issues.Also, increasing the knowledge of how to practice safer sex, like knowing how to properly put on a condom is essential in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The university has to stop being silent on the issues that are already “taboo,” and needs to take action. Anyone can speak on an issue, but it takes valor and strength to stand up on an issue; even when it is not popular. Currently 1 in 110 people worldwide are infected by HIV.
Though this is staggering, one has to wonder, “Who is affected by this disease?” We all are affected by HIV. From students, faculty, friends, and families, we all should have the common interest in creating an atmosphere that demystify and debunking myths of HIV in order to decrease the rates of incidence. We should not aspire to become number 1 in terms of new cases of HIV in the United States, but should lead the country in efforts to utilize innovative techniques to decrease the rates of incidence. HIV does not care about our gender, ethnicity, political affiliation, or religion. HIV does not discriminate. We must first fight together to combat this disease and get more people to know their status. United we aspire, but only together may we truly achieve.
In solidarity,
Jonathan Ryan Batson, Diego Iparraguirre, Dontay Smith, Mirka Hernandez, Yusmary Rodriguez.
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