Story maps
故事地圖

Hong Kong's AIDS memory lane 香港愛滋足跡

(updated on 2013/06/10)

Back

December 1 is World AIDS Day. Where can we find evidence of efforts in response to HIV/AIDS in Hong Kong? Five landmarks are suggested here for us to see and reflect on. Go to Kowloon Bay Health Centre (A). Established in 1999, this is a community health service that has incorporated HIV treatment facilities. The project has met with protests of residents and politicians for 6 long years. Visit Red Ribbon Centre (B), an AIDS education and resource centre in Wang Tau Hom, which was opened by the last Governor of Hong Kong, Mr Chris Patten, back in 1997. When you are in Tsim Sha Tsui, you may have walked past a giant bronze 'ribbon' (C) designed by sculptor Mr Van Lau to mark World AIDS Day 1997. It was initially erected in the little garden in Wanchai, facing Central Plaza (D), but forced to migrate to the current quiet corner after one year. In Shum Shui Po look for an old building that houses the biggest Methadone Clinic (E), a service visited by thousands of AIDS workers and government officials from around the world, to pay respect to Hong Kong's efforts against HIV through the provision of affordable methadone substitution treatment. A Youtube video http://www.youtube.com/user/hongkonghiv/ (with Chinese subtitles) would take you through these places, if you are too busy to go on foot.

十二月一日是世界愛滋病日。在香港，那裡可以找到愛滋病工作的足跡？以下有五個地標，供大家參觀和反思。首先請到1999年啟用的九龍灣健康中心(A)，是一座包含了愛滋病治療服務的社區設施。該中心自建築期間至開幕後，受到附近居民和政客的批評抗議，擾攘長達六年。接著請參觀座落橫頭磡的紅絲帶中心(B)，這是香港的愛滋病教育及資源中心，於1997年由末任港督彭定康先生揭幕。假如你在尖沙咀逛街，可能見過一座巨型銅絲帶雕塑(C)。這是雕塑家文樓1997年的作品，原來擺設在灣仔中環廣場前面的菲林明道公園(D)，但被逼於一年後遷至現址。最後，請移玉步到訪深水埗美沙酮診所(E) 。這是一座舊建築物，亦是規模最大的美沙酮治療服務，曾到此參觀來自各國的愛滋病工作者和官員數以千計。透過美沙酮服務，香港的愛滋病感染率得以長期維持低位！如果你太忙碌，可以從Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/hongkonghiv/ 片段觀賞這些香港愛滋地標。

HIV infection 人類免疫力缺乏病毒感染

What is HIV/ AIDS? 什麼是人類免疫力缺乏病毒感染/愛滋病?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the human immune system, destroying or impairing their function. In the early stages of infection, there is no symptom. As HIV infection progresses, the immune system becomes weaker, thereby increasing susceptibility to opportunistic infections.
The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In the absence of treatment, 50% of the infected individuals progress to AIDS. The use of antiretroviral drugs can reverse the immune deficiency.
人類免疫力缺乏病毒(HIV)是一種感染人類免疫細胞，從而破壞人體免疫系統的反轉病毒。在感染初期，患者可以完全沒有任何病癥。但在感染後期，患者的免疫力會被削弱，容易被其它機會性感染影響。
愛滋病(後天免疫力缺乏症候群) 是人類免疫力缺乏病毒感染的後期嚴重階段。在沒有接受治療的情況下，平均一半感染者在十年內發病，成為愛滋病患者。抗病毒藥物治療可以有效恢復患者免疫能力。

How does HIV spread? 如何傳播？

HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (heterosexuals and homosexuals), transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, sharing of contaminated needles in injection drug users, and between a mother and her infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
HIV的傳播途徑包括不安全性接觸 (異性及同性) ，輸入受污染血液或血制品、靜脈吸毒者共用針筒、和母嬰傳播（懷孕、分娩、和哺乳期間）。

Vaccine? Prevention? 如何預防？

A safe and effective vaccine is still under development. The practice of safer sex with the use of condom is one most effective means of preventing HIV infection through sex. Avoidance of needle sharing is important in injection drug users, whereas antiretroviral treatment can be effective in preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission.
預防疫苗至今仍在研究中。現時最有效的預防性傳播方法是採用安全性行為，包括使用安全套。吸毒者應避免共同使用針具，而抗病毒藥物則可以有效預防母嬰傳播。

HIV-related stigma and discrimination 愛滋病相關的標籤及歧視

Stigma and discrimination might make people living or associated with HIV and AIDS less likely to test for the infection, disclose one's HIV status, adopt HIV preventive measures or have access to treatment. They are therefore barriers to effective responses to HIV.

World AIDS Day falls on the 1st of December every year. For 2009-2010, the theme is "Universal Access and Human Rights", drawing global attention to human rights of people living with HIV and vulnerable population, mobilizing support for universal access of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and combating stigma and discrimination.

標籤和歧視是對抗愛滋病的障礙。這些現象令愛滋病患者或相關人士抗拒接受愛滋病毒抗體測試、透露自己的愛滋病毒感染狀況、採取預防愛滋病的措施或尋求治療。

每年的十二月一日是世界愛滋病日。2009至2010年度的主題為「普遍可及和人權」，旨在令全球注意到愛滋病患者及弱勢社群的人權，鼓勵動員支持愛滋病的預防、治療、護理及支援，消除公眾對愛滋病患者的標籤及歧視。