During the last three decades, the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus have taken the lives of many women and men in Africa, as well as infecting their unborn children. Is there enough being done to eradicate this disease in Africa, and will the cost of these treatments limit those who do not have the available income to afford these drugs? Scientist and researchers have worked over the years to find a cure or vaccine for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, but it remains the most incurable infection in the world. “There are several promising drug therapies now becoming available which are far too expensive for poor countries to afford” (Economist, Vol. 344, Issue 8036). Scientists have been working on several drugs that could help in the fight against AIDS. “One therapy scientist have been working on is a vaginal gel that could cut a women’s risk of infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, by almost 40 percent” (Dugger). Although the gel is not perfect, it offers women a way to protect themselves even without the cooperation of their male partners. The research on this new medicine suffered a setback; the trial was stopped in Africa when it appeared that women getting the HIV.-fighting gel were becoming infected at a higher rate than those receiving the placebo. They recognized that women were not using the gel as regularly as reported.
Women make-up half of the 33 million people who are HIV positive around the world and 60 percent of the new cases are in sub-Saharan Africa, where sex is the primary mode of transmission. “The trials of the new drugs have caused controversy among groups of women who are being given various experimental t...
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...coming closer to a cure for AIDS. Besides drug therapy, education seems to be a key to eradicating aids from Africa.
Education is sometimes difficult due to language and religious barriers. The challenge for AIDS organizations and people around the world is to fund drug treatments for all who need it while cutting the number of new infections.
Works Cited
“Economist”, Vol. 344, Issue 8036, p 19-19 2/8p, September 2011
“Aids in Africa”
Gier, Nick, “HIV-AIDS in Southern Africa: The World’s Highest Infection Rates
Murphy, Tim, “Inside the HIV Fight”
“Advocate”; Issue 998 p 34-37, 4p December 2011
“New York Times”; p26, Op, July 2011
“A Promising Preventive”
Pisani, Elizabeth, “HIV”
“New Scientist”; Vol. 21, Issue 2828, p 8-8p, September 2011
Wilson, Clare, “How to Eradicate Aids”
“New Scientist”; Vol. 201, Issue 2696, p38-41, 4p, February 2011
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Spink, Gemma. "AIDS." AVERTing HIV and AIDS. 23 Dec 2009. Web. 11 Jan 2010. .
The author mentions a few key take away main points. First of all, solutions must address the underlying causes of HIV risk among women. This mainly includes poverty and disempowerment because women in lower living standar...
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A country once in denial now has it’s South African political leaders addressing the disease that is slowing killing their population The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which evolves into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is affecting South Africa socially as well as economically. This disease is also leaving over a million and a half children orphaned. Most of these children are not only orphaned but living with the virus as well.
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