South Africa has more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country in the world. Over 5,700,000 South Africans are living with HIV/AIDS, which is 12% of the population of South Africa (Banerjee 63). The adult population with HIV/AIDS is 18.1%. South Africa continues to struggle in regards to dealing with this disease. In 2007, only 28% of people with AIDS received anti-retroviral treatment (Central Intelligence Agency 1). This number has improved from 2004 however, when only 4% of people with AIDS received anti-retroviral treatment. AIDS continues to be a huge problem to the South African population. In 2007, around 280,000 South Africans died of AIDS. That’s about half of all South African deaths that year (Mid-year Population Estimates, 1). There is still great mystery as to why South Africa is so affected, especially compared to other African countries that have greater poverty. However, it is known that South Africa has made mistakes in regards to how to prevent the spread of HIV. As clarified through explanations of the prevalence of the disease, what affects economic growth and what’s being done to stop the spread, economic development in South Africa is disturbed greatly by the continuous rise in HIV/AIDS.
It is estimated that 10.9% of all South Africans have HIV/AIDS. HIV is most common among female adults under the age of 40. Not much is being done to help limit the spread of HIV. Slightly more than 50% of sexually active South Africans have ever had at least one HIV test (Sub-Saharan Africa). South Africa is struggling with regards as to how they should treat the spread of HIV. What has worked best at limiting the spread of HIV has been the ability for South Africa to help educate people in regards to how to prevent HIV. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS is lowest among people older than 50 years (Banerjee 63). In 2008, more than half of South Africans with HIV reside in the most popular provinces: the KwaZulu-Natal and Gautleng provinces (Sub-Saharan Africa, 1). This just shows that some areas seem to have greater availability of resources, since areas of poverty and education vastly range from different provinces.
. Expenses related to HIV/AIDS are equivalent to 4% of all salaries in South Africa. The cost of HIV/AIDS include: costs associated with greater absenteeism, reduced productivity, increased turnover, and healthcare costs (Central Intelligence Agency). To counteract these problems, two main campaigns were enacted: Soul City (a television drama for adults) and Soul Buddyz (a television series for teenagers) (Booysen, 1). While these two campaigns were effective at first, there was unfortunately a decrease in quality on condoms, creating a loss on effectiveness in HIV prevention in the 21st century. It seems as though South Africa has no successful plan in regards to effectively stopping the spread of HIV.
In 1983, AIDS was first diagnosed to two patients in South Africa. By 1986, there were 46 AIDS diagnoses. In 1990, 1% of South Africans had AIDS. In 1999 the figure had reached 10%. Now, it’s estimated that 6 million people currently have HIV/AIDS in South Africa (Booysen 1). A major reason as to why there was still so much of a continuation of the spread of HIV/AIDS in South Africa came from the fact that there was much AIDS denialism in South Africa. The president declared that the virus of HIV ‘couldn’t cause a syndrome’ like AIDS. The effort to improve HIV/AIDS treatment was damaged by the attitude of many figures in the government when the health minister incorrectly claimed that a diet of lemon, garlic, and olive oil could cure the disease (Booysen 1). There is hope that in the near future, there will be greater availability of resources to prevent HIV/AIDS. South Africa has the potential to turn around the amount of future diagnoses, for they have the industrial power to create affective ways for educating people as to how one becomes HIV+, and what one can do to prevent the disease from spreading.
Bibliography
Banerjee, Abhijit V., and Esther Duflo. Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty. New York: PublicAffairs, 2011. Print.
"Central Intelligence Agency." The World Factbook. OpenGov, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
“Mid-year Population Estimates.” Statistics of South Africa. User Information Services, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
“Sub-Saharan Africa: AIDS Epidemic Update Regional Summary.” Joint United Programs on AIDS. World Health Organization, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
Booysen, F. R. Geldenguys, J.P. & Marinkov, M. “The Impact of HIV/AIDS on the South African Economy: A Review of Current Evidence.” University of the Free State. Department of Economics, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
Bibliography: Banerjee, Abhijit V., and Esther Duflo. Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty. New York: PublicAffairs, 2011. Print. "Central Intelligence Agency." The World Factbook. OpenGov, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. . “Mid-year Population Estimates.” Statistics of South Africa. User Information Services, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. . “Sub-Saharan Africa: AIDS Epidemic Update Regional Summary.” Joint United Programs on AIDS. World Health Organization, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. . Booysen, F. R. Geldenguys, J.P. & Marinkov, M. “The Impact of HIV/AIDS on the South African Economy: A Review of Current Evidence.” University of the Free State. Department of Economics, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013. .
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Leading on to my next point, this has a massive effect on health due to the fact that this disease affects the immune system and so therefore shortens life expectancy. The average life expectancy in South Africa is 51 years old compared to MEDCS e.g. the UK average life expectancy is 80. Health care in South Africa is very poor as there is a shortage of doctors there. Although the public system serves the vast majority of the population, it is chronically underfunded and understaffed. In 2005, South Africa spent only 8.7 percent of GDP on health care; this is $437 per capita, this is very poor as there is almost nothing being spent on health care in support of preventing HIV/AIDS. There is an average of almost 1,000 deaths of AIDS a day in South Africa due to the fact that there is a poor health care system in place. This disease is passed on through intercourse, the majority of the time its passed through unprotected anal or vaginal sex, sharing injecting equipment and from a mother to her baby during pregnancy; birth or when breast feeding.…
- 930 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
In the 19th and 20th Century, the relationships between different parts of the globe changed more than ever before as advancements in technology altered cultures, increased communications between nations, created unparalleled levels of economic integration, or made the feel earth smaller. The politically developed countries harnessed colonialism, imperialism, soft power, and neoliberal power structures to take advantage of underdeveloped nations. Developed nations exploited them creating long lasing unequal power structures, which hurt these nations ability to effectively govern and develop. In the early stages of the HIV/AIDS crisis, the effect of the virus was ubiquitously debilitating across the developed and underdeveloped nations, yet as they began to find treatments the developed countries have disproportionally benefited from HIV/AIDS treatment.…
- 1426 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
South Africa is the largest AID infected country in the world. Leaders in South Africa admit to mismanaging the AIDS crisis there. They denied that HIV was the cause of AIDS and prescribed the wrong medication to people with this sickness. This ultimately had a health effect on the people of South Africa. It has an impact on unborn babies. According to researchers, 37,000 babies will be infected with Hiv Aids in the next 6…
- 262 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
HIV and AIDS are having a devastating impact in Sun-Saharan Africa. For example in 1999 it was estimated that two thirds of the people suffering from HIV were found in sub-Saharan Africa. Also in 2008 a UNAIDS report showed this area accounted for 75% of the global death toll from AIDS. This just demonstrates the damage it is doing. Management strategies are being put in place, however some there success depends on many factors.…
- 647 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The documentary, ENDGAME: AIDS in Black America, focused on the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic amongst the black community in the United States. Historically, AIDS was first stereotyped as a disease of gay white men. Many blacks ignored it and felt they were omitted to contracting the virus based off what was portrayed in the press as a white epidemic. In the late 80s and early 90s, the widespread of poverty in black communities exacerbated everything about the AIDS crisis. Approximately, 40 percent of the cases of AIDS were identified among individuals who participated in intravenous drug use, unprotected sex, and needle sharing which was done mostly if not all in rural area in the U.S also known as poor black communities. The film discuss…
- 748 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
References: Cleveland, J. (2008). Heightened national rsponse to the HIV/AIDS crisis among African Americans. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from:http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/slidesets/pdf/HPLS_Cleveland_1.pdf…
- 1140 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
What we do know, (1) infection comes more heavily to the black community due to high rates of HIV-positive men coming out of prison, (2) drug addiction and the widespread use of dirty needles, (3) the taboo against talking about the problem of homosexual-related AIDS transmission in many black religious circles and, (4) governmental failure: the absence of any comprehensive AIDS prevention and treatment programs that reach into the community of wide poverty, despair and lack of information.…
- 942 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Human Sciences Research Council (2009). HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Retrieved May 23, 2010, from website: http://www.avert.org/aidssouthafrica.htm…
- 1042 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
“2000 began with 24 million Africans infected with the virus. In the absence of a medical miracle, nearly all will die before 2010. Each day, 6,000 Africans die from AIDS. Each day, an additional 11,000 are infected.” Even though we live in America, we still have the right to protect others and ourselves and have somewhat of an obligation to help everyone, even those in Africa, out. We should be concerned with the AIDS epidemic in Africa because if we are ever to travel to Africa, then we should be aware of the diseases so that we don’t catch them. If we aren’t concerned, then we could go to Africa and inadvertently catch AIDS. Another reason that we should be concerned with the AIDS epidemic in Africa is because Africans can come to America and infect others. If we aren’t concerned, then other Americans could get infected, infect other Americans, and so on. The third reason we should be concerned with the AIDS epidemic in Africa is because there could be a higher crime rate in America. For example, people from Africa could come to America, and since most Africans probably can’t afford the AIDS medicine, they could steal from Americans to get the money they need. If we are concerned with the AIDS epidemic in Africa, the preceding problems could be eliminated.…
- 598 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
HIV/AIDS is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. Although millions of people are afflicted with the disease throughout the world, this pandemic affects the continent of Africa the most by far. In Africa, the disease is increasing at an alarming rate. Even though increased effort is put in around the world to prevent AIDS, this widespread disease has increased significantly in the past decade. The toxic ailment continues to spread with a disturbing force and it has taken a long time to finally slow it down. In the late 2000’s, approximately 40 million people around the world were living with AIDS or the HIV infection, a significant rise from the 35 million diagnosed with AIDS in 2001 (Bertozzi). Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most impacted by the HIV virus; however, the disease is now growing and spreading into different continents such as Asia and countries in Eastern Europe as well as other parts of Africa.…
- 1099 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Thirty-three million people have AIDS in the world. Africa has two-thirds of that number. According to the United Nations Aids Program on HIV/Aids, and World Health Organization (WHO), estimates, seven out of ten people newly infected with HIV in 1998 live in sub Saharan Africa. Among children under 15, the proportion is nine out of ten. Of all Aids deaths since the epidemic started, eighty-three percent have been in the region. These numbers sound even more astonishing considering only one-tenth of the world's population lives in Africa, south of the Sahara. The amount of Africans affected by the epidemic is frightening. Since the start of the epidemic, an estimated 34 million people living in sub-Saharan Africa have been infected with HIV. Approximately 11.5 million of those people have already died, one-fourth of them being children. During the course of 1998, Aids has been responsible for an estimated two million deaths in Africa. There is about 21.5 million men and women living with HIV in Africa, plus an extra one million being children. Four million of those people contracted the infection in 1998 alone (Mail 8 guardian).…
- 1127 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
Over the course of many years, parts of Sub Saharan Africa have decreased in their population because of the STD AIDS. The African government plays a significant role in the reason behind the way AIDS has spread throughout Africa, as an epidemic. When AIDS was beginning to be well known, many African leaders did intervene and showed moral support for some time. Unfortunately, they fell short of providing adequate resources to the African people such as the drugs, better equipped hospitals and a safer country. Many other first class developed countries heard of the epidemic AIDS and the lack of help from their governments. Many of those countries did not feel the need to educate…
- 3099 Words
- 13 Pages
Good Essays -
Contrary to popular belief, every country in Africa does not have soaring infection rates. For example, west and central Africa have HIV prevalence rates that vary from 5% to about 13%. The country of Senegal only has a rate between 1%-2% (Ng, Hawlan, 1999).Unfortunately southern Africa has not faired as well. Four countries have HIV prevalence rates that surpass 30%. “Those countries are Botswana (37.5%), Lesotho (31.5%), Swaziland (38.6%) and Zimbabwe (33.7%)” (Avert.org, 2004). The reasons some countries such as Senegal have lower infection rates is because their government has taken an active role in preventing the disease from spreading. In Senegal, the government has set aside a budget to implement their plan against AIDS.…
- 1685 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays -
HIV/AIDs is a huge epidemic still plaguing society today. The lack of knowledge and technical advances has caused an increasing number of cases. It has made its way around the world since the 1940s, causing countries to join together in the fight against AIDs. With all the campaigning that has been done the numbers of cases continue to rise. Countries have separated the disease into three patterns to make it easier to distinguish the effects that AIDs has on different regions of the world. As well as what subtypes sprout from what areas. HIV/AIDs can be spread in many different ways. The future is still uncertain for the victims whom lives have been dramatically changed by this deadly disease.…
- 1341 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Women are facing devastating effects of HIV/AIDS in South Africa and India. In the two countries women are already economically, culturally and socially disadvantaged lacking access to treatment, financial support and education. They are outside the structures of power and decision making. With no control over their bodies and sexual relations. They are looked at as the main transmitters of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) referred generally as women diseases.This topic is important to study to see how this disease is affecting women in these countries . How their government is handling the situation. What type of medical treatments are they being helped with and given to help cure the problem . The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is rapidly spreading in young women in South Africa and India .…
- 529 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays