Hiv in South Africa
'Evaluate the most important factors in determining the relative emphasis placed by policy-makers, in S.A. on prevention as opposed to treatment of HIV. '
One of the major problems affecting the South African country is the spread of HIV. The country is believed to have the most number of HIV victims than any other country. As seen on the diagram, South Africa has the highest adult HIV prevalence. (GRAPH) Only 10% of the children who need treatment are able to have the benefit of undergoing treatment; this causes the country’s life expectancy to decrease further. By looking at the different ways on how the government is dealing with the spread of HIV, we can see that their decisions are based towards the prevention of HIV as oppose to its treatment. This is evident in the political, economical and socio-cultural factors that determined the relative emphasis placed by policy makers on prevention as opposed to treatment of HIV in South Africa. Assessing the ideas and facts behind the political, economical and socio-cultural factors will allow us to evaluate the most important factors in determining the relative emphasis placed by policy-makers, in S.A. on prevention as opposed to treatment of HIV.
One factor that determines the relative emphasis placed on policy-makers in South Africa is the political factors that affect the decisions made. The government believes that HIV does not lead to AIDS. According to Stephen Lewis, the government attempted to block the role out of antiretroviral treatment to keep people alive and instead used garlic and sweet potatoes as a cure for the virus. The authority’s attempt to save its people ironically made the situation worse. About 300,000-400,000 people died unnecessarily under the watch of former president Thabo Mbeki. There was a strong increase in the number of HIV victims from 1999-2008, the years in which Thabo Mbeki ruled the country. The graph below clearly shows the increase of HIV cases by year. (GRAPH) It is evident
One of the major problems affecting the South African country is the spread of HIV. The country is believed to have the most number of HIV victims than any other country. As seen on the diagram, South Africa has the highest adult HIV prevalence. (GRAPH) Only 10% of the children who need treatment are able to have the benefit of undergoing treatment; this causes the country’s life expectancy to decrease further. By looking at the different ways on how the government is dealing with the spread of HIV, we can see that their decisions are based towards the prevention of HIV as oppose to its treatment. This is evident in the political, economical and socio-cultural factors that determined the relative emphasis placed by policy makers on prevention as opposed to treatment of HIV in South Africa. Assessing the ideas and facts behind the political, economical and socio-cultural factors will allow us to evaluate the most important factors in determining the relative emphasis placed by policy-makers, in S.A. on prevention as opposed to treatment of HIV.
One factor that determines the relative emphasis placed on policy-makers in South Africa is the political factors that affect the decisions made. The government believes that HIV does not lead to AIDS. According to Stephen Lewis, the government attempted to block the role out of antiretroviral treatment to keep people alive and instead used garlic and sweet potatoes as a cure for the virus. The authority’s attempt to save its people ironically made the situation worse. About 300,000-400,000 people died unnecessarily under the watch of former president Thabo Mbeki. There was a strong increase in the number of HIV victims from 1999-2008, the years in which Thabo Mbeki ruled the country. The graph below clearly shows the increase of HIV cases by year. (GRAPH) It is evident