African Development Indicators - Essay Example

This essay seeks to critically discuss the obstacles caused by the HIV/AIDS pandemic to African development by analysing the situation in South Africa, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone. The paper seeks to outline the direct effects of HIV/AIDS on growth in these three countries and the measures put in by the respective governments to deal with the situation. Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) is contracted through birth, sex, and sharing sharp objects such as a razor blade, and over time, the virus will spread over the body and weaken its cells.

The weakening of cells causes AIDS- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, which leads to illness and death from related diseases such as tuberculosis or pneumonia (Greyling, 2). HIV/AIDS is one of the most challenging catastrophes to deal with during the contemporary period, given that a cure for this deadly pandemic is not yet available and may not be near in sight for quite some time hence the only option that is available at the moment is to strengthen the mechanisms to prevent, reduce the spread and minimise the impact of HIV/AIDS (Benjamin & Barry, 28).

In Sub-Saharan Africa, death rates have continued to rise because of the HIV/AIDS pandemic causing life expectancy to fall from 50 years in 1990 to 46 years in 2002 (ADI, 14). AIDS-related deaths were 2.2 million in Africa in 2001, and more than 30 million infected people were infected. According to the report, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone also have high HIV infection rates. In the same vein, South Africa is one of the countries with the most increased HIV infections in the Sub-Sahara region, regardless of its strong economic performance.

The pandemic has severely affected the productive age group, consequently affecting growth and development. There are high chances of loss of production, and the governments in respective countries have to spend a lot of money to procure drugs and put other measures to fight against the pandemic, which negatively impacts development. To establish the extent to which the HIV/AIDS pandemic is seen as an obstacle to development, especially in the three African countries mentioned above, it is imperative to begin by outlining the state of their economies using the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) index to measure the performance of their economies.

According to World Bank Development Indicators in 2011, South Africa’s GDP is $285 366 billion, $28, 526 Billion and Sierra Leone at $1 942 Billion. Comparatively, it can be noted that there is a wide gap between the economies of the three countries, and this reflects the country’s ability to cope with the deadly pandemic, given its economic development and growth concerns. In most cases, the workforce is the primary driver of any country's economic development. Still, the deadly HIV/AIDS pandemic poses a severe challenge to the development of many African countries.

Special attention will be paid to South Africa, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone in discussing how this pandemic has adversely affected economic development in African countries. According to You Magazine (4), 39 per cent of all premature deaths were ascribed to HIV/AIDS, and it was reported that about 600 South Africans die each day from the deadly disease. According to the Health Department Survey in 2009, about 5,3 million people were infected with the deadly virus, and it is estimated that more than 300 000 people succumbed to HIV/AIDS-related illnesses. As it stands, South Africa has the highest HIV prevalence worldwide, and young adults between the ages of 25 and 49 are hardest hit, with a prevalence rate of about 17 %.