Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Policy - Essay Example An organization called Living Well, which is funded by the National Health Service the public health system in the United Kingdom, has embraced this concept of wellness and successfully lead a great number of those suffering from HIV and AIDS through the problems resulting from the diagnoses. HIV infection care was previously managed with progressive immunosuppressant therapy, increasing ill health and the development of pre-terminal AIDS-defining infections and cancers. With the advances brought about by antiretroviral therapy since the mid 1990’s HIV infection has become a chronic condition, managed and maintained within an ability to have an elevated quality of life from those who suffered before these treatments were available. These advances have presented new challenges to those who are no longer dying of a disease but living with a chronic condition. According to the progress report developed by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS in 2008 the United Kingdom has the United Kingdom has â€Å"a relatively low prevalence of HIV and AIDS.† (United p. 2) According to the same report as of 2006 there are 73,000 people living with HIV. This figure roughly amounts to â€Å"121 persons living with HIV per 100,000†. (United 2008 p. 2) With public healthcare available to the citizens of the United Kingdom obtaining medication and medical treatment has been accomplished with an average wait of 48 hours for a patient to obtain care. The recommended actions in the report are as follows: As the care for HIV and AIDS infected patients has been addressed in the United Kingdom, the concept of self-care has taken on a preventative aspect of the continuation of life for those working with this epidemic. These figures represent a portion of the population which must deal with a disease that has strong physical and emotional consequences. Society has designated HIV as a disease of social relevance. Those afflicted can be seen as