Running Head: HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa

Alexander R. Perez
RWS 1302
Professor Grado
09 April 2015

Abstrat
Sub-Saharan Africa has the most serious HIV and AIDS epidemic in the world. In 2012,
roughly 25 million people were living with HIV, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the global
total. In 2012, there were an estimated 1.6 million new HIV infections and 1.2 million AIDSrelated deaths (Gaibulloev, 2012, p.1). As a result, the epidemic has had negative widespread
social and economic consequences that include life expectancy, families/households, healthcare,
schools and education, labor and productivity, and economic development. This paper will
discuss the issues and challenges that the Sub-Saharan African people experience when
combating this epidemic sweeping across their continent, as well as what developed countries
can do to intervene on the problem.

HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa has been a problem for many years.
Throughout the years developed countries have provided support for them yet little improvement
has happened. Something must be done to bring improvement; the focus must be switched to
mirroring successful aid programs. Some questions that will be asked will better the
understanding of what is currently going on:
1.
2.
3.
4.

How does HIV affect the human body?

How could developed countries intervene on this problem?
How could medical procedures help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS?
What sorts of policies and education could help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS?

These questions are aimed at giving an inside look into the current epidemic currently going on
and what should be done.
How does HIV affect the human body?
HIV/AIDS has a negative effect on the body, but people argue over whether
psychological or physical factors have more of an impact. Becoming infected with HIV/AIDS
takes a major toll on the mental health of the person infected. The psychological aspect of
HIV/AIDS is that extreme caution must be taken when performing any intimate act that could
possibly transfer the virus to someone else. Gaibulloev states Because of the risk of
transmission, major and permanent changes are called for in sexual behavior and/or management
of substance use, neither of which may be easily modifiable (Gaibulloev, 2012, p.1). A change
in life must occur when dealing with and trying to manage HIV/AIDS and this may not be an
easy task. Change may be easier for some but the idea of being HIV positive will always linger.
For some the psychological factor has a greater impact, but for others the physical aspects affect
them in a much greater way.

Physically, HIV/AIDS affects people in different ways and at different severities.

HIV/AIDS can cause a worsening quality of life and could be potentially fatal along with the
necessity of having to take anti-viral drugs in order to prevent the virus from delivering its
damaging affects (Duncan, 2009, p.2). Patients may begin to feel weak and lose a drastic
amount of weight. On the other hand, patients may see an increase in body fat, which could
cause the start of many other diseases, and health related issues since the immune system is
already compromised. After becoming infected patients will notice that they will become sick
with flu-like symptoms more and more frequently as well as these symptoms requiring more
trips to a hospital emergency room which may not be an option in a developing country like
Africa where access to necessary healthcare is limited. HIV/AIDS is never easy to deal with
since it comes with a combination of negative psychological and physical changes that require a
great deal of attention.
How could developed countries intervene on this problem?
Developed countries usually take on two approaches when assisting Africa with its
HIV/AIDS pandemic. One option is to give local governments the money to carry out their
plans, or the second option is to initiate their own plan of action by sending out volunteers and
aid workers. The less common of the two options is giving the money to local governments.
Many analysts argue that instead of focusing so much on the issue, attention must be given to the
officials by teaching them how to care for their people. Fourie argues Trying to teach local
governments how to manage themselves is crucial in combating epidemics of any sort (Fourie,
2006, p.3). Fourie argues that the first step in any plan is education: Educating local government
officials on how to manage money and organize new laws, will have the greatest impact

(Fourie, 2006, p.4) Education is the main focus in option one, but in option two hands on seems
to be the primary focus.
Getting to the people infected with HIV/AIDS is the primary goal of option two.
Intervening on the epidemic is what many analysts state will be the most effective way to stop
the spread of HIV/AIDS. Emily Oster, a leading researcher, claims: Education is not going to
help alleviate the symptoms these people are dealing with on a daily basis, only medicine can do
that (Oster, 2007). HIV/AIDS activists who believe that medicine is the only real way to help
people living with disease support her claims. Oster believes that with the bountiful amounts of
volunteers available many areas of Africa can be reached in a reasonable amount of time.
Activists protest that more funding should be spent on acquiring the needed medications and
medical equipment. Appealing to pathos is very common with this option; this option is also the
most common of the two. The only similarity between the two groups is the belief that time and
effort from developed countries needs to be invested in the undeveloped countries of Africa.
How could medical procedures help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS?
As medical procedures evolve more options become available for patients. Patients infected with
HIV/AIDS have options to decrease their chances of infecting other people. One option is male
circumcision or kidney transplants if their kidneys are weak. Kidney transplants are
recommended for patients whose kidneys have been damaged as a result of HIV/AIDS. When
their kidneys do not work as expected it becomes harder for their body to filter blood thus
increasing the amounts of HIV infected blood cells. Scientists have found that when the kidneys
are damaged and not working properly the possibility of transmitting the disease rises by about
30% (Grant, 2012, p.1). By receiving a kidney transplant that patient is playing a part in
stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS. If the patient is not in need of a transplant there is another

option available, that being if they are a man they have the option of being circumcised. When a
man is circumcised excess skin is cut away

from the head of the

penis, leaving no part of the penis covered

when flaccid.

Scientist agree that when parts of the penis

are covered

by excess skin unwanted bacteria

combine

with the moist environment to create a

disease prone area (Knijn, 2012, p.1). If parts of the penis
covered by skin are minimalized so is the risk of diseases
developing, thus reducing the risk of
transferring diseases such as
HIV/AIDS. According to Dr. Kalin in

the

African American Studies program at

The University

of Texas at El Paso In many parts of Africa most men are uncircumcised because of their lack of
access to healthcare professionals and proper medical equipment (Kalin, 2015). Analyst have
proposed that African government officials need to enact laws and policies that require every
baby boy born in a hospital with access to the proper medical equipment be circumcised. Figure
1 (McNeil, May 2014, p.1) shows the percentage of people infected with HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Knijn believes that If half of the male African population was circumcised then the prevalence
of HIV/AIDS would decrease by 25% (Knijn, 2012, p.3). This would slow the spread of
HIV/AIDS throughout the continent. Although circumcision may be extremely painful for grown
men, it is crucial in slowing down the transfer between infected individuals.
What sorts of policies and education could help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS?

Many analysts and scientists have agreed that changes in policy and education must occur
in order to decrease the transmittance of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Changing policy
would require the effort of government officials in developing African countries and would set
specific rules and regulations on anything that might relate to the transfer of HIV/AIDS such as
the circumcision of men. This could require male newborn babies to be circumcised regardless of
what the mother or father may say. Scientists have noted the negative opinion that may come
along with the implementation of such a policy. Evensen states they may not understand what
this could do for them now but 20 years from now they will see the positive (Evensen, 2010,
p.2). Many scientists believe that policy is the most effective way to go about the epidemic
sweeping across Africa, but some are still skeptical and believe they must educate the people on
how to protect not only themselves, but others as well.
Education has been in effect for some time now and despite this, HIV/AIDS has been on
the rise according the researchers who study the trends of HIV/AIDS in Africa. As a result
scientists and researchers believe that education is less effective when compared to changes in
policy. McNeil argues that education reform had its time to show results and we have yet to see
any (McNeil, 2014, p.1). Education refers to teaching all persons in Sub-Saharan Africa how to
be more conscious about their decisions and how to utilize condoms, which greatly decrease the
risk of transferring HIV/AIDS. Monogamy is not a common practice in Sub-Saharan Africa,
which leads to one man infecting multiple women. A chain reaction occurs because of this; as a
result of the woman being infected, her child will most likely be born with the disease. Educating
the population will help put a stop to these trends according to analysts. Shaw claims, we have
to stay on our current path because change will take time, we must simply give it time for their
lifestyle choices to change for the better (Shaw, 2000, p.2). Whether changes in policies or

education need to occur scientists, researchers, and analysts have come to the consensus that
action must be taken in order to assist Sub-Saharan Africa with its HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Conclusion
The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a serious matter affecting millions of people, and
unfortunately these people are not able to do very much about it without help. HIV/AIDS
negatively affects the body, and developed countries can play a big part in assisting the African
continent with this epidemic, including providing medical procedures to help combat the
epidemic as well as teaching developing governments how to establish laws to help solidify their
government. Many more people should be informed about this topic because without adequate
attention this issue will only worsen. The proposed solutions should be taken seriously because
they could potentially be the solutions the world has been looking for, which would affect the
lives of millions of people.

References

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