I think this is definitely one of those causes that needs a lot of attention and support. Charities like Oxfam, Amnesty, DEC etc work very hard in this particular area. The stats show that 5 million people do not get the treatment that they need (source Oxfam) considering when it only costs when the drugs are so cheap to manufacture.
Also the area affected the most are the African countries and drug companies charge a fortune for these drugs (please sign Oxfam's Stop Aids-Patent Pool).
When I was working for Oxfam in Oxford, generally there would be a lunchtime talk and these talks were given by Oxfam colleagues who were working in these poverty stricken areas. One of the saddest stories I heard was that young men with HIV/AIDS believed that if they had intercourse with a virgin it would cure them of the disease so they used to go round raping virgins who would then in turn contract HIV/AIDS.
Myths like this exist because the rich like to keep the poor in that state, lacking education, lacking essential drugs and basic day-to-day things to keep them alive. Why should these people suffer more than those of the 'developed' world because they were unfortunate enough to be born into poverty?
So, please, if you can make a difference today:
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