Formal Policy Brief on HIV/AIDS

Formal Paper: HIV Policy
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Table of Contents Executive Summary. 3 Introduction. 4 Background of the Problem.. 5 Impact of the Problem.. 6 Approaches/ Options. 7 Proposed Solution to the Problem.. 8 SWOT Analysis. 9 Results of the Analysis. 10 Recommendations and Conclusion. 10 References. 11  
Executive Summary
The need to improve healthcare and in general, public health, has been driven by the current trends in the industry. Trends such as the occurrence of pandemics such as the Covid-19 or even the spread of HIV/AIDS have determined the responses that the healthcare industry would undertake in ensuring that public health is improved. Stigmatization against persons living with HIV/AIDS is a worrying trend that creates poor address on HIV/AIDS and poor public health rating. Developing governmental policy addressing stigmatization helps in developing extensive address on the stigmatization against persons living with HIV/AIDS.
Formal Paper: HIV Policy
Introduction
The spread of HIV/AIDS has been a worrying trend since the disease was discovered in 1983, where it has consistently spread. A close evaluation on the HIV/AIDS spread has not only been an issue in the healthcare sector but also the widespread stigmatization of HIV/AIDS. In most communities, being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS has been termed as a ‘death sentence’ with people resorting to sideline the person living with HIV/AIDS. The main cause of the stigmatization has been due to misconceptions, ignorance on facts and cultural redefinition of HIV/AIDS. In fact, HIV/AIDS has been defined within most cultures as a sign of immoral behavior, forgetting that the disease can be spread in many ways not just sexual contact (Gillespie et al., 2022). The impact of the stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) has been deteriorating public health and lack of moral support in addressing HIV/AIDS in the society. There is a growing need to ensure that a governmental policy on creating sensitization on HIV/AIDS and provision of moral support to persons living with HIV/AIDS is developed to help in addressing the stigmatization (Bagchi et al., 2019). Policy makers in healthcare help in addressing the stigmatization trend that is becoming greatly worrying on persons living with HIV/AIDS, where preventing a SWOT analysis on the need for a policy to manage the stigma will help in motivating the policy makers to be focused in implementing the recommended policy. Therefore, the most effective way to address the rate of stigmatization among persons living with HIV/AIDS is through developing a governmental policy on HIV/AIDS sensitization and provision of moral support to persons living with HIV/AIDS through ensuring that policy makers are vigilant in developing and implementing the policy.
Background of the Problem
Persons living with HIV/AIDS have had a tough moment and experience when they are diagnosed with the disease. In fact, the growing rate of stigmatization has been greatly worrying given that despite the encouragement by various people with goodwill for persons living with HIV/AIDS to come out and speak out, the public has intensified the stigmatization. Misconceptions on HIV/AIDS has led to a large part of the stigmatization where people believe in the wrong things on the infection. The main misconception is that HIV/AIDS is a ‘death sentence’ (Gillespie et al., 2022). However, the misconception is based on unfounded arguments where in the modern day, persons living with HIV/AIDS are able to effectively live with the infection while effectively managing it with medications and healthy living. Another misconception leading to stigmatization of persons living with HIV/AIDS is that every person living with HIV/AIDS has engaged in immoral sexual activities. The misconception has been used to derail persons living with HIV/AIDS since they are viewed as outcasts, whereas HIV/AIDS is spread through a number of ways (Gillespie et al., 2022). In fact, people born with the infection tend to be highly victimized since it is viewed that their conception was an act of irresponsible sexual behavior. Despite the information revolution where information is available on our mobile devices, stigmatization due to misconceptions has been highly rampant with unnecessary sidelining of persons living with HIV/AIDS being experienced.
Ignorance in the society has also led to increased levels of stigmatization against PLWH. People who know the truth on HIV/AIDS have illustrated ignorance in understanding that persons living with HIV/AIDS do not deserve to be stigmatized. In fact, people with knowledge on HIV/AIDS have neglected their responsibility in educating the society at large on the truth about HIV/AIDS. The ignorance as well as the misconceptions have led to a worrying culture of stigmatizing persons living with HIV/AIDS. In fact, even stakeholders in the healthcare sector have been among the people stigmatizing persons living with HIV/AIDS through their talk when addressing persons infected (Karver et al., 2022). The sad culture is worrying given that in todays world, every person has been affected by HIV/AIDS, thus understands the negative aspects of the disease. Therefore, stigmatization of persons living with HIV/AIDS has been a major challenge that has been driven by unfounded causes that need to be addressed using effective policy making.
Impact of the Problem
Stigmatization has created an extensive impact in the fight to ensure that HIV/AIDS prevalence is reduced. A major impact is illustrated by Teshale and Tesema (2022), who indicates that stigmatization has led to discriminatory attitude towards PLWH. The discrimination has actually led to a prevalence rate of 47.08%, which is worrying. The impact of stigmatization has been mainly the lack of proper address on HIV/AIDS, which has led to the prevalence rate. For instance, at the workplace, stigmatization against persons living with HIV/AIDS has led to neglect and negative psychological impact on persons living with the infection. The stigmatization has been highly sensitive to an extent that persons living with HIV/AIDS at the workplace have resigned due to the poor relationship and interaction with workmates. The resignation has made persons living with HIV/AIDS to lack financial ability to manage HIV/AIDS symptoms, thus creating poor health and ultimately their death (Bagchi et al., 2019). The stigmatization has also led to a high prevalence through creating a major barrier towards ensuring that persons living with HIV/AIDS to come out and seek healthcare assistance. Living silently with HIV/AIDS leads to more spreading of the infection since persons living with HIV/AIDS will not speak up but rather engage in activities leading to spreading of the infection (Karver et al., 2022). The stigmatization of persons living with HIV/AIDS is...