AIDS IN AFRICA

written by : Liying Lu

AIDS/HIV is a very serious health problem in Africa, especially in East and Southern Africa.According to (WHO,2020) there are almost 26 million living with AIDS and 70% AIDS-related death happen in Africa. It is a very serious problem now. This disease not only treat people’s health but also effect countries’ economic and lots of social issue.Fortunately,in the last 20 years there are more and more different organizations are helping East and Southern Africa to solve this problem including UN and some NGOs.

The image shows a boy who was born infected with AIDS and he did not remember his parents.NGOs gave him aids hoped can save his life but he died when he was fifteen.I believe there are many children like the boy are infect with AIDS and need some aids and children should not suffer this kind of thing it is unfair to them.

There are almost 1.7 million (0-14)children living with HIV and 0.1 million death related with AIDS, but the children who live with HIV are in a downward trend. However people who live with HIV in all ages are still in a upward trend .

Why AIDS become a serious epidemic disease in Africa? In 1960s some cases appeared in Africa, but it only in small area in Western Africa like Cango .In 1970s HIV was carried in Eastern Africa and it started be spread in 1980s especially in late 1980s . The disease in Eastern Africa was far more serious than in Western Africa. For example in Uganda the doctors though it was a slim disease and it lead to 30% of pregnant women in Uganda get AIDS.(Blackhistory,2015)

AIDS also effected economic significantly.(Dixon.S,McDonald.S,Roberts,J, 2002) AIDS in Africa cause some impacts like: labor, import and export.Labor in 30-44 years old was predicted decrease 10% in 15 years. Economic growth rate reduced 2-4% in the countries where prevalent of HIV compared with non-HIV assumption. For this reason it is very important to give Africa countries help not only because of humanity but also help their economic be better.The impact of AIDS not only effect labor issue and macroeconomy but also effect microeconomy (Daryl L.C,Murray,L,2007) the mortality rate was rising because of AIDS and people spend lots of money on funerals. People average spend 7 times of their monthly income on funerals, in some area cost 15 times.If NGOs and UN can help Africa decrease the mortality rate because of AIDS. They do not have to spend lots of money on funerals, they can spend those money in other more valuable place.

Nowadays,many NGOs engage in helping Africa with AIDS like: The Global Fund ,The Elton John AIDS Foundation ,Treatment Action Campaign. The Global Fund is a NGOs which collaborate with many large companies like coca cola, Standard Bank,they aim to help people confront AIDS .There are 23.3 million are on antiretroviral therapy –and 18.9 million were supported by Global Fund in 2018. They have a target with their partners which is reducing the number of new HIV infection of girl and young women by 58% who are in 13 Africa countries in 2022. The reason way they set this target is because in the age group 15-24 twice of girls and young women HIV infections compare with same age group’s boys and young men. They mostly invest in Sub-Saharan Africa about 72% because most of AIDS infections are in this area .

Despite The Global Fund there are many other NGOs are helping Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of all of them want the resident keep away from AIDS/HIV .The above image is another organization call Friends of the global fund Europe .It shows that they are teaching people using condoms to fight with AIDS.As we know HIV inflect through sexual and blood so it is very important to let them know they can use condoms to avoid be inflected HIV . These organization usually do this kind of thing teaching them some knowledge and give them some medical aids. I believe that AIDS will become less serious ii the future because of these NGOs and volunteers.

Bibliography

BLACKHISTORY(2015) Available at: https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/real-stories/the-history-of-aids-in-africa/ (Accessed: 22/2/2020).

Dixon,S. McDonald,S. Roberts, J (2002) The impact of HIV and AIDS on Africa’s economic development..bmj.p232-234 https://doi-org.uea.idm.oclc.org/10.1136/bmj.324.7331.232

Daryl L,C.Murray,L. (2007) ‘The financial impact of HIV/AIDS on poor households in South Africa, AIDS, S75-87.

WHO(2017) World Health Organization. Available at: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/259638/EndAIDS-eng.pdf;jsessionid=D41536B9482C32CBFEBC0AC092FD5929?sequence=1 (Accessed: 21/2/2020).