Hiv/Aids in Africa
HIV/AIDS has been named a global epidemic with its toll being felt significantly especially in Africa. It has been a major cause of death in the world; it also continues to be a public health concern. It poses a risk to future generations with villages being wiped out due to its impacts (Iliffe, p.47). The most affected generation being the most active age group leaving the elderly and aged to look after the young. Widows and orphans have been a major occurrence in many villages and they struggle through thick and thin to survive the impacts of HIV (Shah, para.3).
Statistics have proved that Africa has been most affected with the situation being aggravated by the poverty levels in the continent. The statistics from the World Health Organization have shown that 34.3 million people in the globe have the AIDS virus and of the 34.3 million 24.5 million live in the Sub Saharan Africa. This means that majority of the people with HIV live in Africa (Shah, para.6; (UNAIDS, 2006). Practically 19 million people have died from the deadly AIDS virus with 3.8 million of dead being children who are under the age of 15. To add insult to injury 5.4 million HIV global cases were recorded in 1999 with 4 million occurring in Africa. This means that people continue to get infected more. Statistics of 1999 indicate that of the 2.8 million deaths caused by AIDS, 2.4 million were recorded in Africa (Shah, para.7). The effects continue to bite with people being infected and affected by the impacts of the HIV virus (UNAIDS, 2006).
Children bear the largest blunt of the problem when they are left as orphans to take care of themselves; of the 13.2 million children orphaned globally 12.1 million are in Africa (Shah, para.8). This gives the plight of the children. Children are also infected through parent children transition due to lack of proper health care and inadequate advice. Children are left to care for their young siblings and more they have to care for their ailing parents (UNAIDS,
Statistics have proved that Africa has been most affected with the situation being aggravated by the poverty levels in the continent. The statistics from the World Health Organization have shown that 34.3 million people in the globe have the AIDS virus and of the 34.3 million 24.5 million live in the Sub Saharan Africa. This means that majority of the people with HIV live in Africa (Shah, para.6; (UNAIDS, 2006). Practically 19 million people have died from the deadly AIDS virus with 3.8 million of dead being children who are under the age of 15. To add insult to injury 5.4 million HIV global cases were recorded in 1999 with 4 million occurring in Africa. This means that people continue to get infected more. Statistics of 1999 indicate that of the 2.8 million deaths caused by AIDS, 2.4 million were recorded in Africa (Shah, para.7). The effects continue to bite with people being infected and affected by the impacts of the HIV virus (UNAIDS, 2006).
Children bear the largest blunt of the problem when they are left as orphans to take care of themselves; of the 13.2 million children orphaned globally 12.1 million are in Africa (Shah, para.8). This gives the plight of the children. Children are also infected through parent children transition due to lack of proper health care and inadequate advice. Children are left to care for their young siblings and more they have to care for their ailing parents (UNAIDS,