Aidss Essay, Research Paper

AIDS in Africa

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( AIDS ) is one of the most deathly

viruses in the universe. No state in Africa has escaped the virus. Some have been

effected more so others though. The spread of AIDS in Africa is because of

hapless medical intervention and a deficiency of instruction on the portion of the people.

HIV is the virus which causes AIDS. ( Aids in Africa,1994 ) HIV stands for

Human Immune-deficiency Virus. The virus attacks the organic structures immune system

and weakens it. Scientists have wondered about the beginning of HIV of all time since the

epidemic emerged.

Experts believe that the virus was contracted through Chimpanzees. ( AIDS

came from Chimps, 1999 ) Possibly when person was bitten by a Pan troglodytes, or a

huntsman was exposed to contaminated blood while field dressing an animate being. ( AIDS

came from Chimps, 1999 ) Trials were done by Dr. Beatrice Hahn of the University

of Alabama. Her surveies tracked HIV back to a virus that infects four sub-species

of Pan troglodytess that live in Africa. ( AIDS came from Chimps, 1999 ) Hahn and her squad

studied frozen tissue from a Pan troglodytes that died of complications at childbearing. In

this frozen tissue their was the chimp version of the AIDS virus, called SIVcpz.

The cistrons in SIVcpz are genetically similar to the AIDS virus. ( AIDS came from

Chimps, 1999 ) Chimps who have likely carried this virus for 1000s of

old ages do non acquire ill from it. Research workers are seeking to happen out why Pan troglodytess are

non effected by this virus, because it may take to a remedy. ( Aids in Africa,1994 ) This

productive happening about the virus wasn & # 8217 ; t found until 1997 when proving started.

( Aidss in Africa,1994 ) If it would hold been found sooner possibly the monolithic

spread of AIDS could hold been prevented.

Since the start of the epidemic an estimated 34 million people populating in

Sub-Saharan Africa in 1998 were infected with HIV. ( AIDS,1991 ) This is due to a

deficiency of instruction on the portion of the people in Africa. They are non taught about

the virus as we are in the United States. In this state the populace and media

educate the people about AIDS, including how to forestall the disease. Without

embarrassment, Americans openly discourse methods in which the disease is

transmitted. However in African civilizations facing sexual issues that cause

AIDS and HIV is really uncommon. ( AIDS the epidemic,1994 )

In Africa AIDS has become the figure one cause of decease, catching

Malaria. ( The AIDS Reader,1991 ) The U.N. AIDS/health experts say more than 40

million people contracted the disease in 1980 & # 8217 ; s and about 12 million of them

hold died in Africa. ( The AIDS Reader,1991 ) If the people in Sub-Saharan Africa

were educated about forestalling the spread of AIDS and HIV possibly the statistics

wouldn & # 8217 ; t be so dramatically different from other states.

In the African states good medical intervention can be difficult to happen. The

United States has a better economic system, and more extremely trained professionals so

Africa. The lower quality of medical intervention in Africa has contributed to some

of the spread of AIDS in the yesteryear. ( The AIDS Reader,1991 )

Unfortunately the cost of drugs to decelerate down the disease can be

$ 10,000- $ 20,000 per twelvemonth per individual. ( The AIDS Reader,1991 ) This keeps most

infected HIV patients from acquiring the needed drugs because they can t afford

them.. This sum of money would cover the one-year wellness attention for 200 people

in Zimbabwe. ( The AIDS Reader,1991 ) A household in Sub-Saharan Africa might

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spend between $ 600 an

d $ 1,500 to care for a individual populating with AIDS. ( The AIDS

Reader,1991 ) This money could be used for a college instruction or other basic

necessities. This state was hit so difficult with AIDS that more so one-fourth

of working-age grownups are infected with HIV and are forced to utilize money for

wellness attention. ( AIDS the epidemic,1994 )

Zimbabwe was the hardest hit state of AIDS or HIV. In this state

about half of all infirmary beds are filled with patients who have AIDS and AIDS

related symptoms. ( AIDS,1991 ) Even if we stopped AIDS now the 1000000s of

people already populating with it would do the disease continue. In Zimbabwe 25

proving sites were set up to prove pregnant adult females & # 8217 ; s blood for HIV virus. At two of

these sites less so 10 % were infected, but at the staying sites about half

were infected. ( Aids in Africa,1994 ) All pregnant adult females with the virus have a hazard

of go throughing it onto the babe.

One other major job in the spread of AIDS is through colza and

sexual maltreatment. In Africa these sorts of sexual actions are ne’er discussed by the

media or by the populace. All the sexual jobs, whether cultural or personal, are

unbroken secrets. Confronting these issues is so uncommon in this civilization that rapists

are frequently & # 8220 ; allow off the hook, & # 8221 ; and travel free. ( AIDS the epidemic,1994 )

In Africa immature misss are non volitionally being sexually active at immature ages.

AIDS and HIV are acquiring spread through offenses and forced sexual contact. Older

work forces and adult females are distributing this disease whether they know they have it or

non.

At this point and clip, AIDS is incurable, although there are drugs that

will increase a patients life span. ( Aids in Africa,1994 ) An older AZT intervention

assorted with newer drugs called peptidase inhibitors will raise the T-cells in the

immune system and aid beef up it. ( Aids in Africa,1994 ) This is non a remedy,

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but it is a start in assisting victims of the virus. However there is a job ; this

new drug is unavailable to African & # 8217 ; s or to expensive. ( The AIDS reader,1991 )

If African wellness attention professionals and authorities functionaries made a

greater attempt to educate everyone about the danger of AIDS, in the hereafter the

decease rate could be greatly lowered. The media should be used more openly to

discuss jobs with the spreading of the disease. Clinics set up in distant countries

of the state make many people who do non hold entree to modern signifiers of

media. These clinics blend more with the people and their civilization should be used

to educate the difficult to make people. Law enforcement functionaries could make their portion

by implementing punishments against sexual maltreaters and non allowing them go free. If the

people of Africa were informed and had support in covering with the sexual subjects

that cause the spread of the disease. Africans would hold better lives and non

hold to endure through so much illness and decease. The spread of this disease is

chiefly due to lose instruction of Africans and hapless medical intervention in Africa.

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Flanders, Stephen A. AIDS, Facts on File, New York ; 1991

Greenberg, Lorna. AIDS, understanding the epidemic, MN ; Life Skills instruction

Inc. 1994

Haney, Daniel Q. Scientist: AIDS came from Chimps, Atlanta Journal and and

fundamental law, GA,1999.

Mckenzie, Nancy F. The AIDS reader, US ; A meridian Book,1991

Murphy, Dean E. African s Silent Shame, CA ; Los Angeles Times, 1998

Aidss in Africa A Unaids fact sheet, November 30, Johannesburg, Dec,1999

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