Editor's Note

Ignorance causes fear and shame

The level of health consciousness in Bangladesh is not high. In fact, it can be termed pretty low. But a healthy and strong people, among other things, is a must for building a healthy and strong nation. In recent years some positive measures have been taken to increase health awareness and to guard against the inroad of easily preventive diseases. A particularly dangerous disease that is fast spreading throughout the world, including Bangladesh is AIDS, which is caused by a strange lethal virus named HIV (Human Immune Virus). HIV gets into a human body, and causes irreversible deficiency in the body by destroying the cells that normally enable it to ward off diseases.

A recent study shows that the number of AIDS victims in Bangladesh is on the increase. We must fight this fell disease with all the power we have. Here we would like to remind our readers of two old maxims which we consider invaluable. One is "Knowledge is Power" and the other is "prevention is better than cure." Wrong ideas about AIDS will cause one avoidable anxiety, pain and suffering.

Two major sources of AIDS are unsafe sexual union and use of HIV infected syringe for any kind of injection. One must thoroughly know about how one runs the danger of getting AIDS. Knowledge is power. And one must take all preventive measures so that one does not became an AIDS victim. Prevention is better than cure.

Ignorance causes fear and shame and helps to attach a stigma to this fatal illness. Our children and youths have a right to know about and be aware of this disease. In addition to slogans, documentaries & seminars, we should seriously think of ways to reaching the facts about the nature, cause and prevention of AIDS effectively to them through our school and college curriculum.

Shaheen Kabir
Advisory Editor, Star Insight

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