Policy Memorandum
To:
From: (Student’s Name)
Subject: Policy Formulation regarding HIV Status Disclosure
Date:
Executive Summary
Many people ignore notifying their partners of their HIV status and this has led to the rise in the number of people infected with HIV virus. HIV is a very dangerous virus that weakens the body immune system of a patient and consequently leading to their death. There is need to make regulations to make people make their partners aware of their HIV status before they engage in any kind of intimate relationship so that they are able to make wiser decisions soberly being aware of their partners status. The key information is that HIV is an issue of public concern due to its fatality and therefore the government need to intervene and formulate policies that will help in the prevention of HIV through partner notification of their status. The recommended course of action is that policy needs to be formulated making it mandatory for couples to declare their status to their partners before engaging in a serious relationship.
Problem description
HIV is like a bush fire, spreading without control due to its inability to physically manifest and thus has been used by individuals as a weapon to bring down their enemies. HIV can be termed as a biological weapon that can be used to destroy people without their awareness and just like any other crimes, holding information regarding HIV status becomes an offense that requires legal intervention. The current policies do not require people to notify their partners of their status but only request them to have a check-up.
Recommendations
Making it mandatory for the couples to notify their partners of their HIV status will be of significant benefit in that it will reduce the number of HIV infections and at the same time reduce the fatalities that result from HIV and AIDS. However, the main disadvantage is that making mandatory will be coercing a person to offer information that would otherwise be private thus a violation of the constitution that requires privacy protection.
The recommended course of action, therefore, is to make a policy that indirectly requires the partners to declare their status explaining the advantages and at the same time trying to persuade the public that the policy is of the common good. The required resources for implementation would be availing more testing kits and training the public on how to test themselves in private. The policy proposal would be of great importance to all especially those who are not infected while the infected will be somehow offended as it will violate their privacy. However, the proposal is of more good than harm.
Conclusion
There is need to formulate a policy that requires partners to disclose their HIV status so that a large number of people are protected from HIV infection and thus help in reducing fatalities resulting from HIV/AIDS. The government need to intervene to reduce the rate of infection and protect the problem.
