ADAM CROWELLAP WORLD HISTORY

AIDS Pandemic in Africa

AIDS Overview

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) – can hide in body cells for a long time and attacks human T-Cells and CD4 cells which are part of immune system.

This can lead to depletion of CD4 cells which leads to AIDS (Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome).

People with AIDS have badly damaged immune systems, making them at risk for normal infections.

There is currently no known cure.It is believed HIV came from a kind of

chimpanzee in Western Africa (which human hunted and ate) as long ago as the late 1800s.

HIV Virus: http://www.rkm.com.au/VIRUS/HIV/HIV-images/HIV-virus.jpg

Transmission

HIV transmission can only occur when human fluids from an infected person enter body of an uninfected person.

Most commonly transmitted through sex and sharing needles or injection equipment with a HIV+ person. Mothers’ also often pass it to babies before or after birth in breast milk.

Images: http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/prevention/reduce-your-risk/fluids-of-transmission/

Location

People infected with HIV/AIDS are found around world (34 million in 2011).

Sub-Saharan Africa is most affected region 1 of every 20 adults is living with HIV 69% of people living with HIV are in

this regionThis is due to a variety of reasons

including weak economies andpolitical unrest.

Map: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nWFvs2MmnOk/TKfjArO6LII/AAAAAAAAAFQ/NAn8Hsal-xs/s1600/AIDS-AFRICA-MAP-2007-Number.jpg

Challenges with Treatment

AIDS negatively affects health, education, industry, agriculture, transport, human resources and the economy of countries where people are affected.

Africa faces particular set of problems: Trying to provide health care and

treatment to growing number of people affected with HIV/AIDS

Trying to increase use of protection techniques

Trying to overcome impact of millions of deaths on community.

Map: http://www.uccronline.it/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Aids-in-Africa.jpg

Prevention Attempts

Senegal responded to threat of HIV with political and community leadership and have relative low HIV prevalence in area.

Condoms have played a role in preventing infection with donors willing to donate more condoms to help prevent spread of HIV It’s a relatively cheap and effective way

to handle situation.Voluntary spread of HIV is reduced

when people know they are affected so multiple countries have tried to test more people to let them know of status.Awareness Billboard: http://www.avert.org/media-gallery/image-36-aids-awareness-billboard-in-

lundazi-zambia

More Treatments and Problems

Without intervention, there is a 20-45% chance HIV+ mother will pass virus to child.

Antiretroviral drugs can reduce this percent, but this and the testing to find out who has HIV costs money many Africans do not have.

Increasing numbers of African countries are offering these ARV drugs, but there are still shortages and not enough medical professionals to administer drugs to everyone who needs them.

ARV treatment (Botswana): http://www.avert.org/media-gallery/image-809-access-to-antiretroviral-treatment-in-botswana

Causes

Although originally getting HIV was largely unavoidable, problem exacerbated by state of Africa after European powers left continent.

European countries put whites in charge while they ruled and pitted African tribes and groups against one another so they did not unite to overthrow them.

Few attempts were made to improve quality of life and no attempts to promote industry or manufacturing occurred.

Map: http://www.bcc.cuny.edu/other/wach/topic5/afr1914.gif

Effects

Since whites were in power even after European countries left, and due to racial tensions, there were large civil wars throughout Africa.

This reduced Africa’s ability to grow its economy beyond most basic industries.

With no unity, and no way to obtain needed competitive industries, Africans were stuck in poverty that many remain in today

This means that Africans can not afford either the education or the prevention techniques that might help reduce or even stop the spread of HIV.

African Kids begging for Food: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UhfrYwFtUuU/S_GBJEY8GII/AAAAAAAAABE/1MoxVWlSpMQ/s1600/hunger.jpg

International Efforts

The International Community has donated billions of dollars to fighting AIDS with the UN.

The US Government started the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and in 2009 alone allocated almost $6.5 billion for fighting AIDS.

Although a lot of money has been donated, the fight still continues but unfortunately due to global recession since 2008 funding has flat lined.

Graph: http://toglobalist.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Screen-Shot-2012-05-26-at-3.52.35-PM.png

Impact we can have

We can play a role in helping with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa and around the world by raising awareness of this very important problem.

We can also try to raise money for this cause and donate ourselves.

Ultimately, although the fight has been going for a awhile, it will unfortunately still be years until we will finally be able to declare victory so we need to be resolute in our desire to defeat this terrible disease.

UN formed AIDS ribbon: http://www.avert.org/media-gallery/image-721-un-staff-members-form-the-aids-ribbon

Works Cited

"AIDS/HIV." WHO. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. <www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs360/en/index.html>.

"HIV Facts." Medicine Net. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. <www.medicinenet.com/human_immunodeficiency_virus_hiv_aids/article.htm>.

"HIV and AIDS in Africa." HIV & AIDS Information from AVERT.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://www.avert.org/hiv-aids-africa.htm>.

"HowStuffWorks "Africa - The African Nations"." HowStuffWorks "History". N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://history.howstuffworks.com/african-history/history-of-africa6.htm>.

"International HIV Fund." International HIV Fund. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://www.internationalhivfund.org>.

"What Is HIV/AIDS?." Welcome to AIDS.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/what-is-hiv-aids/>.