Aids in East Africa AIDS first emerged in Africa during the early 1970’s but did not garner much concern or attention until around the early 1990s when global health care communities and agencies became alarmed at the explosion in the incidence rate of infected individuals and as well, the related mortality rates that rapidly followed. Due to a high illiteracy prevalent in these countries, the efforts of local agencies in the health sector to educate inhabitants on the topic of AIDS failed miserably. Governmental officials took a passive stance and were persistent in their denials that the disease existed counter-arguing instead that AIDS was but a mere fiction, a fabrication on the part of global organizations to interfere with the politics and governing of its countries. (Williams, 1991) The combined illiteracy of locals and ineffectual or non-existent efforts of most African governments to intervene have contributed to the ease with which AIDS have continued its trajectory of infection throughout much of Africa. The disease progressed swiftly throughout the 52 countries of its mother continent to infect mothers and fathers, sons and daughters and, sisters and brothers. Tracking its way easily through the pathways of illiteracy, ineffectual health system, poverty and poor governmental intervention, AIDS infected (and killed) hundreds of thousands of the African population within a relatively short timeline. (Guest, 2003) No word more fully describes the effects of the AIDS virus in Africa then pandemic. The statistics speak for themselves.
The Research paper on Hiv Aid Aids Africa Economy
Jarrod Stafford Government 9 A. M. Forming Public Policy on AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa Strengths of Current Policyo 15 billion dollars of aid over 5 years o Bring African AIDS epidemic to forefront o Dispersing resources quickly Using new approaches and leadership model Employing evidence-based decision so Demanding accountability for results Weaknesses of Current Policyo Not attacking ...
Entire generations are dying in their beds; entire generations are growing up as orphans living day to day in extreme poverty hoping and praying that this deadly disease won’t find them. The United States and other United Nations countries have already contributed millions of dollars in aid to Africa. The money has been spent, through a variety of different programs, to purchase drugs, condoms, fund AIDS awareness education and ultimately stop the spread of AIDS in Africa. But it has not been enough. These programs and the economic aid have clearly fallen well short of what is required to defeat this disease. AIDS has continued to spread all over the continent at an alarming rate. The United States must set an example by refusing to succumb to pessimism and refusing to consider Africa a “lost cause.” The United States must now take the lead and increase aid to Africa as well as re-evaluate the programs that are currently in place. (Purkitt, 2003) Althought Africa is the region at the globe that is mostly affected by AIDS, and though no state has completely escaped its effects, the commonness varies among the countries.
The South African region is most affected, with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland with the highest rates, at the same time as West Africa has been less affected. In Africa AIDS is not just a disease. It is part of a vicious cycle that keeps Africa in extreme poverty. AIDS places a huge economic strain on countries where the virus is found. Huge sums of money are spent for treatment and medication, prevention and education. If a family has one member with AIDS it decreases income by an average of 50%, due to lost wages and any money spent on treatment.
In addition to the money being spent by countries as a result of AIDS, countries where AIDS is prevalent are also faced with declining Gross National Products because of whom AIDS is affecting. (Purkitt, 2003) In Botswana, because of the AIDS epidemic, the life expectancy has plummeted to only forty years and their infant mortality rate has increased 122% compared to years past. Much of the population Botswana is dying or is confined to beds at what should be their prime working age and their children are dying at such a rate that future generations will be unable to fulfill the economic needs of the nation, plunging it further and further into poverty. Other nations in Africa have reported losing around 40% of their workforce every year. Every year 40% of the men and women responsible for the economic success or failure of their particular nation are dying. These statistics demonstrate how deeply Africa is in need of aid to fix both AIDS problem and their economic problems that are so closely tied together. These statistics also expose how little hope there is for these nations if they do not receive the necessary aid.
The Homework on Challenges Faced by a Country for Economic Development
An economy is flourishing and is shown to be beneficial and fruitful for the people living in it only when the growth of the economy goes up continuously. It is essential for a country to not only develop politically or socially but it also needs to demonstrate economic development in order to sustain in the international market and in order to come ahead of other countries. But it is not very ...
(UNAIDS, 2004).
Figure 1. Number of people affected wit AIDS in South Africa (Source: AVERT, London) The effect of AIDS reaches all areas of politics in Africa as well. The AIDS virus affects politics indirectly through the economic situation it has created. The extreme poverty in Africa, created by AIDS, makes many governments, even democratic ones, ineffective. The poverty brought about by AIDS severely limits the amount of money available to governments, both for salary and for national/regional programs. This results in the loss of many programs and minimum spending delegated to other areas as well as contributing to corruption among some government officials. (Baylies, 1999) AIDS have also affected government more directly.
The AIDS status of candidates can come into question during a campaign as well as candidates different stances on how to “solve” the AIDS problem. AIDS is also an enormous problem in the military where, in some cases, greater then 80% of soldiers are infected. (Baylies, 1999) This becomes a huge problem in Africa because of the soldiers traveling so much and spreading the disease around the country. AIDS has also been used as a weapon in a few cases. When fighting breaks out between two nations, soldiers have been known to rape civilian women from the enemy country, knowingly exposing and infecting them with AIDS, as a sort of psychological warfare. From 1989 to 2000, the number of “significant lethal conflicts,” the phrase used by the 2002/2003 Annual Editions – World Politics to define wars in the region, have doubled from eleven in the year 1989 to twenty-two in 2000. (Purkitt, 2003) These wars have resulted millions more dying and have contributed to poverty, famine, breakdown of family structures, destruction of health supplies and poor sanitary conditions. All these conditions created by warfare are conducive to the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus.
The Essay on Foreign Aid Poorer Nations
There is a large gap in the development of the Northern and Southern nations of the world. The Northern countries in general are geared more towards industry and are more economically prosperous because of it. While the South is much less industrial and as a result lacks the wealth that the North enjoys (Rourke, 1998, p. 168). That is not to say, however, that there are not wealthy countries in ...
So the cycle continues. (Crush and Wilmont, 1995) The statistics speak for themselves. There is no denying that Africa is in great need of assistance but some out there may questioning, “Why should the United States lead the charge? Why should we stick our necks out for Africa when this really isn’t any of our business?” To this I would say, “If not the US then who?” The United States is far and away the richest, most powerful nation on the face of the Earth, the world’s greatest economic power as well as the world’s greatest military power. The current situation in Iraq is just one example of how the United States has taken the lead in many different military campaigns. The United States must take on this same role during peacetime by taking the lead in rebuilding nations. The United States must set an example for other nations to follow by assisting nations that are in trouble. We must not continue to be seen as a nation who brings only war and suffering, but a nation who brings peace and aid to nations in need.
Other nations will follow but may lack the initiative or the global influence to lead. No, surely for a joint effort to succeed in rebuilding nations such as those found in Africa, The United States must take charge. We can not stand idly by hoping someone else will help Africa while millions die of this disease and starve as a result of the poverty it has caused. First and foremost must be Africa. No other nation or continent has these problems to the extent that Africa does. America must first do this out of concern for the people of Africa but a byproduct of aiding the African people will be gains for the American people as well.
Undertaking this project would do much to improve the ailing reputation that America has gained with much of the world. A project like this would strengthen the U.N. and perhaps, someday, provide America with new trading partners and diplomatic allies.
Bibliography:
Baylies, Carolyn and Janet M. Jujra. (1999).
Solidarity and Stress: Gender and Local Mobilization in Tanzania and Zambia. In Families and Communities Responding to AIDS, ed. Aggleton, Peter, Graham Hart and Peter Davies, eds. 35-52. New York: UCL Press. Crush, Jonathon and Wilmont, James, (eds).
The Term Paper on AFRICA HIV and AIDS
Africa is the world’s largest region affected by the HIV and AIDS virus. According to statistics, Aids in Africa killed an estimated 1.6 million people last year .An estimated population of 22.5 million people in Africa was living with HIV at the end of 2007 while an additional 1.7 million people were infected with the virus during that year. (Avert.org) Today the AIDS crisis has become an ...
(1995).
Crossing Boundaries: Mine Migrancy In A Democratic South Africa. Ottawa: International development Research Centre. Guest, Emma. (2003).
Children of AIDS: Africas Orphan Crisis. London: Pluto Press Williams, Olufemi A.
1991. AIDS: An African Perspective. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Purkitt, Helen E. (2004).
Annual Editions: World Politics 03/04. Available at http://www.dushkin.com/online/ UNAIDS.
(2004).
2004 Report on the global AIDS epidemic. Geneva. Available at http://www.unaids.org.
