STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION

written by Irenerose Susi

It is very alarming that Malaria kills over 1 million people annually and about 7,500 die every day because of HIV and 5,500 die because of AIDS. One of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals is to combat HIV, malaria and other diseases that may lead to death. Life is very precious, that is why everybody must treasure it.

 Millions die each year from infectious diseases. What is lamentable is the causes of these deaths are preventable, diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV. The course of these diseases can directly be traced to unhygienic places where microorganisms and their vectors thrive. Added to this factor is lack of awareness and knowledge, malnutrition and poverty, lack of effective and reliable drugs and competent healthcare providers. To curb this setback, dissemination of information is a must. And the journalist plays an important role.

Awareness will keep the wolf from the door. Journalism will be a catalyst for change. Dissemination of information is important so that the eyes of the people will be opened and they will be encouraged to stand up and take action.

Prevention is better than cure. One solution often neglected is immunization. The long term benefit of immunization, that is, prevention from debilitating diseases has not been accepted by many. This is because many are so preoccupied with their day-to-day subsistence. 

Researches about diseases should be intensified. One drawback is the wrong beliefs handed down from generations. This slows down the dissemination of information campaign by concerned agencies. If a good outcome is to be realized, everyone must have an active role, so that the MDG 6 will be a reality.

Therefore, it is high time that we focus on this problem. If all of us will prioritize the eradication or at least lower the incidence of infections, there is a higher chance of a good outcome. If we are all able to learn how to fight diseases and help our fellowmen... we all can say we value life.