Essay On Advocacy For Africa

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Recommended: Objectives of millenium development goals

Advocacy for Africa
UN Millennium Development Goal: “Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS” ("United Nations Millennium Development Goals." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/aids.shtml).
HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, causes acquired Immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV is a disease that attacks a human’s immune system. It can be transmitted through sexual contact, pregnancy/ childbirth/ breast feeding, by contaminated needles or syringes, and by contact with infected blood. Currently there is no cure for HIV because it quickly mutates and develops resistance to all of the drugs used against them. Although there is no vaccine to cure HIV, antiretroviral drugs are used to provide treatment that slows the reproduction of the virus. They also allow the infected person to live longer. In contrast, these drugs are very expensive and must be used daily.
HIV is one of the top causes of death, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, of the 34 million HIV positive people worldwide, 69% live in Sub- Saharan Africa(“11 Facts about HIV in Africa." DoSomething.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. https://beta.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-hiv-africa). Because of the alarming prevalence rate of HIV in Africa, the UN has adopted a Millennium Development Goal to halt the spread of HIV with a target date of 2015. Throughout Africa, treatment has become more accessible, but the epidemic still remains as a major global public health issue. Furthermore, the HIV/ AIDS pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa is causing economic consequences that are pushing people further into poverty and is hindering Africa’s much-needed development.
South Africa is the worst affected region ...

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...y year ("Funding for HIV and AIDS." HIV and AIDS information and resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2014. http://www.avert.org/funding-hiv-and-aids.htm). It is essential that more developed countries increase their funds to improve treatment and prevention campaigns. Money funding the fight against HIV in South Africa can be used towards generic drugs rather than the antiretroviral drugs (ARV’s). The difference between the two is that the generic drugs are cheaper. If South Africa began replacing ARV’s with the generic drugs, then the drugs would be more accessible to the public and could speed up the UN’s goal of universal access. However, in 2009 total global funds began to decrease, and if the UN wants to reach the Millennium Development Goal in 2015 of HIV/AIDS prevention and universal access to treatment, there needs to be an increase in the amount of funds.

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