Aids: a Problem in South Africa

AIDS: A Problem in South Africa

Frankie Vanderka

HIS-243344-01

African History and Culture

Fall 2014

AIDS is a serious issue no matter what country you are researching. This disease is found all over the world and takes a huge toll on the population. I am very interested in this problem because there is apparently, no cure. The problem I have with the last statement of there being no cure is, Ervin “Magic” Johnson, Hall of Fame basketball player for the Los Lakers and current owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been living with AIDS for over 20 years. If this disease is so harmful to the human body and almost always results in death, I do not understand how he is still alive today. I am very interested in the problems the people in South Africa have with this disease and how the government or others are trying to lower the risk of death due to AIDS.

Autopsies have shown that AIDS is a very high-risk disease for the poor households in South Africa. Ultimately, AIDS takes over these households and puts these people in an even deeper hole. Following a death, households that experienced an AIDS death are observed being poorer still (Ardington 48). South Africa has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world. According to the African Journal of AIDS Research (AJAR), an estimated 5.38 million South Africans are living with HIV/AIDS. The youth, ages 15 to 34, often get hit with this disease, which has a negative effect on the economic and social development of the country.

Surprisingly enough, HIV/AIDS is more prevalent among the females in South Africa. More than likely, these females are under the age of 40 years old. Roughly 4 out of every 5 people with the disease are women ages 20-24. The HIV prevalence among women, as well as pregnant women, has been diminishing through the years though.

Voluntary counseling and HIV testing (VCT) has become a very powerful source of decreasing the risk behavior of contracting the...