For most people living in first world countries, an average visit to the doctor results in a simple diagnosis such as a cold or the flu, but for millions of Africans, stopping by the local clinic is a death sentence. The raging HIV/AIDS epidemic currently plaguing the continent of Africa is significantly compromising the lives and futures of women and children, with 7.2 million people infected in South Africa alone (AVERT). The spread of the virus has become difficult to contain, and despite efforts made by aid organizations, its growth continues to contribute to the increasing list of obstacles that are in the way of Africa planning for a better future.
Since the 1980s, this dangerous epidemic has been a topic of discussion across the globe, and countless relief groups have sent help to those who need it as well as created plans on how to address the issue now and in the future (Oppong). However, despite years of research and attempts at treatment plans for the continent and its desperate people, the crisis burns on, and the number of lives lost seems to increase every year.
The social stigmas around gender and having HIV/AIDS, as well as some other factors such as poverty and health care, are detrimentally affecting the infection rates. The recorded number of women in Africa with HIV is four times that of their male counterpart, demonstrating how they are the most susseptible to being infected. This is mainly due to the fact that women have increased access to HIV testing, including during routine check-ups, and therefore are willing to get diagnosed and treated (AVERT). On the contrary, men tend to avoid clinics because they are not seen as manly and have developed an association with womanly behaviors that are judged negatively by society (AVERT). This feeds the epidemic because the men who go undiagnosed end up infecting others, including millions of women, and contribute greatly to the overall spread of the virus. This endangers an increasing number of women and puts them in difficult situations since adequate education on the topic is not provided to them easily and many don’t get treatment. The gender biases and other social stigmas around clinics are preventing people from receiving treatment that could slow down the spread of the virus and contribute to a better solution.
The extent of the destruction caused by the epidemic, unfortunately, doesn’t stop at the deaths of millions of men and women, but lives on through the more than 2 million children left orphaned by their HIV/AIDS-stricken mothers (AVERT). In many family situations, when a clinic officially diagnoses a mother, they get violently kicked out of their house, and their children are left to be cared for by unprepared grandparents or left in orphanages (Rodney). These brutal measures often end up putting the children in worst-case scenarios and set them up for difficult futures. In other cases, infected mothers that keep their children have to avoid breastfeeding to prevent the spread of infection. It is suggested by aid organizations to instead feed them animal milk with multivitamins to provide them with adequate nutrition, although this is not affordable for many mothers (Martinez). The HIV/AIDS epidemic has troubled and ended the lives of millions of people, but their children are left behind to live with the consequences of their parents’ actions.
Despite receiving support from many countries and countless other organizations, the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to be a raging crisis. There have been multiple different strategies proposed by each aid group and country that claim to be an effective plan to slow down, and eventually eliminate, the spread of HIV/AIDS. Usually, these plans involve three steps: diagnosis, treatment, and sustaining treatment (Rodney). Recently, experts say there has been a failure to fully complete the third step, which is possibly the most important of the three since it provides those infected with lifelong medicine to contain the spread of the virus and guarantees that that person is no longer contributing to the growth of the epidemic (Rodney). Unfortunately, many obstacles need to be overcome for full treatment to become a possibility for everyone infected in Africa. However, until the days of the future when treatment will be widely accessible, the people of Africa will continue to suffer in silence.
Since the 1980s, this dangerous epidemic has been a topic of discussion across the globe, and countless relief groups have sent help to those who need it as well as created plans on how to address the issue now and in the future (Oppong). However, despite years of research and attempts at treatment plans for the continent and its desperate people, the crisis burns on, and the number of lives lost seems to increase every year.
The social stigmas around gender and having HIV/AIDS, as well as some other factors such as poverty and health care, are detrimentally affecting the infection rates. The recorded number of women in Africa with HIV is four times that of their male counterpart, demonstrating how they are the most susseptible to being infected. This is mainly due to the fact that women have increased access to HIV testing, including during routine check-ups, and therefore are willing to get diagnosed and treated (AVERT). On the contrary, men tend to avoid clinics because they are not seen as manly and have developed an association with womanly behaviors that are judged negatively by society (AVERT). This feeds the epidemic because the men who go undiagnosed end up infecting others, including millions of women, and contribute greatly to the overall spread of the virus. This endangers an increasing number of women and puts them in difficult situations since adequate education on the topic is not provided to them easily and many don’t get treatment. The gender biases and other social stigmas around clinics are preventing people from receiving treatment that could slow down the spread of the virus and contribute to a better solution.
The extent of the destruction caused by the epidemic, unfortunately, doesn’t stop at the deaths of millions of men and women, but lives on through the more than 2 million children left orphaned by their HIV/AIDS-stricken mothers (AVERT). In many family situations, when a clinic officially diagnoses a mother, they get violently kicked out of their house, and their children are left to be cared for by unprepared grandparents or left in orphanages (Rodney). These brutal measures often end up putting the children in worst-case scenarios and set them up for difficult futures. In other cases, infected mothers that keep their children have to avoid breastfeeding to prevent the spread of infection. It is suggested by aid organizations to instead feed them animal milk with multivitamins to provide them with adequate nutrition, although this is not affordable for many mothers (Martinez). The HIV/AIDS epidemic has troubled and ended the lives of millions of people, but their children are left behind to live with the consequences of their parents’ actions.
Despite receiving support from many countries and countless other organizations, the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to be a raging crisis. There have been multiple different strategies proposed by each aid group and country that claim to be an effective plan to slow down, and eventually eliminate, the spread of HIV/AIDS. Usually, these plans involve three steps: diagnosis, treatment, and sustaining treatment (Rodney). Recently, experts say there has been a failure to fully complete the third step, which is possibly the most important of the three since it provides those infected with lifelong medicine to contain the spread of the virus and guarantees that that person is no longer contributing to the growth of the epidemic (Rodney). Unfortunately, many obstacles need to be overcome for full treatment to become a possibility for everyone infected in Africa. However, until the days of the future when treatment will be widely accessible, the people of Africa will continue to suffer in silence.
Works Cited
“HIV and AIDS in South Africa.” AVERT, 18 Jan. 2019, www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/sub-saharan-africa/south-africa.
Martinez, Jose, and Peggy Henderson. "Feeding the infants of HIV-infected mothers." Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Mar. 2004, p. 161. Global Issues in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A115973966/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=868a09cc. Accessed 15 Mar. 2019.
Oppong, Joseph R. "HIV/AIDS, African Perspectives." Ethics, Science, Technology, and Engineering: A Global Resource, edited by J. Britt Holbrook, 2nd ed., vol. 2, Macmillan Reference USA, 2015, pp. 459-464. Global Issues in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3727600369/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=d0c5264f. Accessed 12 Mar. 2019.
Rodney, Patricia, et al. "Addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and children in sub-Saharan Africa: PEPFAR, the U.S. strategy." Africa Today, vol. 57, no. 1, 2010, p. 65+. Global Issues in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A242304815/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=e6f3fc4a. Accessed 21 Mar. 2019.
I really enjoyed how emotional your article was in the way it really connected with me and how it kept the same tone throughout and really flowed. I was surprised to see the difference in how many women were diagnosed vs men. One question I would ask is what would be the first step to not necessarily fix this issue because it is so hard to fix, but more as to avoid getting it?
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see how the culture around gender roles significantly effected someone's treatment. I'm also curious as to how many people are currently infected and how that compares to the numbers in the past.
ReplyDeleteWow! I really like how smooth this article flows while still maintaining an objective and informative tone. Your excellent use of language and transitions makes it much more appealing for the reader to continue reading and hear your ideas. Nice work!
ReplyDelete