AFRICA

HOW HAS THE SPREAD OF AIDS AFFECTED AFRICAN SOCIETY

1. Baer, Hans., et al. “Medical Anthropology and the World System.” A Critical

Perspective Ch. 8: p159-269.

2. Stine, Gerald J. “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome…

The facts written are by Gerald J. Stine in “Acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome” . Worldwide, about 9,000 persons a day become HIV-infected. The majority of all HIV infections worldwide occur in people ages 15-24. Over 1 million people die of AIDS each year. The number of HIV-infections worldwide has tripled since 1990! It is estimated that there will be a 20% drop in population in East Africa by the year 2001 because of AIDS (Stine, 360). “AIDS is the leading cause of deaths among adult men and the second leading cause of deaths among adult women in Africa” (Bethel, 13).

“It is extremely difficult to judge the exact extent of AIDS in Africa, either geographically or in the population” so rather than just focusing on Western Africa , we should look at the bigger picture (Bethel, 138). Also, “we can assert that AIDS cases do not occur on the African continent in a uniform fashion but rather form an “AIDS Belt” in central, southern, and eastern Africa” (Bethel, 138).

First, Let me tell you that Third World Nations makeup three fourths of the Earth’s population, and combining that fact with the fact that these worlds are not as advanced and have an lesser knowledge of prevention, and AIDS , it is not very surprising that these countries populations are impacted by death. “Africa, with about 12% of the world’s population, is now reporting around 25% of the world’s AIDS cases. It is estimated to have over 65% of the total number of HIV-infected adults and 90% of the world’s HIV-infected children” (Stine, 364). An incredible and unbelievable fact that shows the impact of the disease in Africa is that 6,000 Africans are HIV-infected each day which is 250 persons per hour or four per minute. Between 20% and 30% of sexually active adults between the ages of 20 and 40 are believed to be infected with HIV in some urban places of sub-Sahara Africa, where the disease is felt the hardest. In rural areas, where the most of the people live, seriousness is much lower but is still rising. Stine also mentions that available evidence shows that it is unlikely that the spre...

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...woman may choose to breastfeed her baby regardless to protect the baby against many more other infections. Also, it is allowed by most cultures, and it’s free. And third, if artificial feeding is chosen, the mother must take chances on the water-supply that can give her child other deadly diseases. Fortunately though, developing countries are giving information about infant feeding to HIV-infected woman who are pregnant.

In developing countries rather than Western society, their mentality is much more different. Western societies can prevent illness and death because of knowledge that Africans don’t have. In developing countries, they worry more about living for today, which means that they face death from AIDS in five years from prostitution or death from starvation tomorrow from lack of money. In a lot of cases, if the wife is worried and wants to use condoms, she is threatened with the husband leaving her for another woman. In that case, the wife would eventually have to go to the streets for money and that means beginning prostitution. This never-ending cycle of poverty and ignorance can only be broken by education, which still may not be enough. God help them!