WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1993
THE
BEYOND
RAMIFICATIONS OF THE DISEASE ARE EXTENSIVE AND GO THE HEALTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL. IT THREATENS THE VERY FABRIC OF SOCIETY. AS ONE TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT HAS PUT IT,
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"AIDS IS A POLITICAL CRISIS.*
ISSUE.
I AM GRATEFUL THAT MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE FOCUSED ON THIS
IN RESPECT OF THE QUESTIONS ASKED EARLIER BY THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO THE ANSWERS ALREADY GIVEN. SO I SHALL FOCUS TONIGHT IN MY CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE MANY BROAD AREAS OF FOCUS. I SHALL RESPOND TO THE CALL FOR OPENNESS. AIDS REMAINS VERY MUCH A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE IN HONG KONG. IT IS SHROUDED BY FEAR AND MISUNDERSTANDING, PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION. WHILST SCIENTISTS HAVE STILL TO DEVELOP A VACCINE OR A CURE FOR THE DISEASE, THE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS MADE IN MEDICAL RESEARCH OVER THE PAST DECADE HAS LEAST ENABLED US TO HAVE A PLITER UNDERSTANDING OF THE AIDS SYNDROME.
AT
WE KNOW THI AIDS IS CAUSED BY INFECTION OF THE BODY BY A RETPO✓IRUS KNOWN AS HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV), IT HAS A LONG INCUBATION PERIOD DURING WHICH THE VIRUS REMAINS DORMANT INSIDE THE CARRIER'S BODY. AFTER A VARIABLE PERIOD OF TIME, THE VIRUS MAY START GRADUALLY TO DAMAGE THE BODY'S DEFENCE SYSTEM, MAKING THE PERSON SUSCEPTIBLE TO REPEATED SERIOUS INFECTIONS AND CANCERS, FROM WHICH THE PERSON ULTIMATELY
APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE INFECTED
DIES.
OF SOME
INDIVIDUALS WOULD DEVELOP SYMTOMS DUE TO AFDS OVER A PERIOD TEN YEARS WHILE THE REMAINDER MAY STILL BE SYMTOM-FREE AND REMAIN NORMAL IN THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CAPACITY.
SCIENTISTS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ISOLATED THE VIRUS AND ESTABLISHED THE PATHOGENESIS OF THE DISEASE. ESSENTIALLY, HIV IS TRANSMITTED MAINLY THROUGH BLOOD, SEMAN AND VAGINAL SECRETION, THUS, THE MAIN ROUTES OF INFECTION ARE THROUGH SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, TRANSFUSION OF CONTAMINATED BLOOD OR BLOOD PRODUCTS, THROUGH OF NEEDLES FOR DRUG INJECTION AND PERINATALLY FROM AN INFECTED MOTHER TO HER OFFSPRING.
THROUGH SHARING
OTHER BODY FLUIDS SUCH AS SALIVA, SWEAT OR TEARS HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND TO TRANSMIT HIV. HIV IS VERY FRAGILE AND CANNOT SURVIVE OUTSIDE THE HUMAN BODY. HENCE, A PERSON CANNOT GET AIDS FROM NORMAL DAY-TO- DAY CONTACTS WITH HIV-INFECTED PERSONS, SUCH AS FROM SHAKING HANDS HUGGING, HAVING MEALS TOGETHER, WORKING IN THE SAME OFFICE OR FACTORY, OR ATTENDING THE SAME SCHOOL.
OR
IN OTHER WORDS, I EMPHASIZE, YOU CANNOT GET AIDS JUST BY BEING CLOSE TO PEOPLE. I AM MENTIONING ALL THESE BECAUSE THESE ARE SCIENTIFIC FACTS, AND YET STILL NOT VERY WELL KNOWN IN HONG KONG.
BE
SO, HOW OFTEN, HOW OFTEN INDEED, HAVE WE HEARD SUGGESTIONS THAT INNOCENT CHILDREN WHO HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BEEN INFECTED BY HIV SHOULD KEPT AWAY FROM THEIR SCHOOLS? SUCH PREJUDICE IS REGRETTABLE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY DO UNDERLINE THE NEED FOR STEPPING UP PUBLIC EDUCATION ON AIDS, TO REMOVE MISCONCEPTIONS AND TO CHANGE COMMUNITY ATTITUDES. WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY.
/IN THE