Antiretroviral Treatment of HIV in Zimbabwe - Term Paper Example

? Antiretroviral treatment of HIV in Zimbabwe HIV has been declared a global pandemic due to its high prevalence worldwide. The sexually transmitted disease has especially claimed numerous lives in the sub-Saharan Africa. Though a cure for HIV has not yet been attainable, there are preventive and disease management measures that are in place to counter the pandemic. The discovery of antiretroviral treatment has been a significant medical discovery in that it has made it possible to manage the disease. This is because the treatment boosts the immune system of an infected individual enabling them to fight of the effects of the disease. This has in turn resulted to the significant increase in life expectancy levels among the infected population. In Zimbabwe, the rate infection of HIV is high, and this is influenced by the various social and economic factors. In order to counter this, the stakeholders are employing measures to ensure that the disease is controlled. The spread of the disease has necessitated the introduction of antiretroviral treatment in the country in order to ensure the people infected live healthier and positive lives. This is crucial for the country since the HIV prevalence in the country mostly affect the working population that consist mainly of the youth and the young adults ( US aid, 2012). This has become a crisis not only in health but also in the economy of the state. However, the encouraging effects of the treatment do not reach the people who need it the most due to poverty, poor policies and insufficient medical services that plague the country. Economic and social factors are also significant factors that influence HIV treatment in the country. Government policies in Zimbabwe have proved to be a hindrance in HIV treatment in the country (Joe, 2006). This is because the current government is in conflict especially with the western countries, which have significant influence in the health sector. This factor has influenced the antiretroviral treatment in Zimbabwe. The government in Zimbabwe has been facing a leadership crisis in that there is rising uncertainty over the leadership of the country. This is because there are two factions with different ideologies and backing that are claiming the leadership of the country. The incumbent has fallen out of favor with the west due to his hard-line policies and the abuse of power and human rights. This has affected all sectors of the country since it has lost a significant amount of donor aid in terms of funding and drugs to assist its fight against aids. This has been a significant blow in the fight against aid since it has disrupted the distribution of ARV treatment in the country making it inaccessible for the majority of the population (Kaiser, 2006). This is because since the treatment is no longer accessible because the cost is too high making the treatment only available to an undersized section of the population. These are a setback since a majority of the population in the country lives in poverty and survive on minimum wage. This has seen cases of Zimbabweans crossing over to the politically stable South Africa to access cheaper ARV treatments. Zimbabwe over the years has realized substantial gains in the fight against HIV reducing its prevalence by over 20%. However, the country is not in the clear in the fight against the disease. The country looses over 3000 people due to the disease, and the problem is compounded by the inaccessibility of treatment for a majority of the population. This is evident in the statistics that show that 25,000 out of 350,000 people in the society who require the treatment urgently can access it (Marilyn, et al, 2003). This is due to the government policy, and the withdrawal of foreign aid making the treatment unattainable for most of the population (Acton, 2012). Zimbabwe was once a beacon of success in the fight against aids in sub-Saharan Africa. The government, however, took actions that adversely affected the gains that were realized in the fight against HIV. The government’s eviction policy was seen as an abuse of human rights resulting in the disruption of the gains realized in this area. This has policy has resulted in exposing the vulnerable population to the effects of the disease because of negative policies adopted by the Zimbabwean government. This has resulted in the availability of the ARV in the population causing suffering to the individuals who need the treatment desperately. This is because the government has meddled with the informal sector, which provides livelihoods for numerous individuals. This interference has caused the poverty levels to rise causing the population to be unable to access medical services. The rise in poverty has seen the population live in deplorable conditions. This exposed them to opportunistic infections hence further aggravating the need for ARV treatment in Zimbabwe. The government’s disregard for the fight against the disease was seen when police officers, destroyed outlets that distributed condoms further endangering the infected population and increased risks of infection in the country. The economic hardships due to the negative policies employed by the government have adversely affected women more than men. This is because women are disadvantaged in the society both economically and socially. The economic hardships have resulted to women using desperate means to feed their families. The economic problems have affected the enterprises that women engaged in making this option not viable anymore. This has resulted women in taking part in commercial sex, in order to raise the badly needed income that women are able to feed their families (Smee, 2008). This has increased the risk and rate of HIV infections mounting pressure on the already insufficient medical sector, with the increasing need of ARV treatment. The government has also been faulted for taking inadequate action in the rising cases of domestic violence. The government has also been unsuccessful in making certain that the rights of women in terms of inheritance, and property ownership are protected. These failures by the government have resulted in increasing the vulnerability of women who have contracted the disease, since their economic stability is not ensured. If the economic stability of women is not certain, it will hinder their effort in trying to acquire effective treatments for HIV. This will make ARV treatment inaccessible to women with the disease. Government policy is a crucial factor in the fight against HIV. The success in combating this pandemic relies on the policies that are adopted by governments worldwide. The situation of accessibility of ARV treatment in Zimbabwe can be blamed squarely on government policies, since most of the problems being experienced now is influenced directly or overtly by the policies adopted by the Mugabe’s administration. In order for Zimbabwe to address this condition, it is essential that the government evaluates its policies and ensures that it respects the rights of its citizens. References Acton, A. Q. (2012). Virus Diseases: New Insights for the Healthcare Professional: 2011 Edition. Atlanta, Georgia. Scholarly editions publishers. Henry, J. K. (2006). Zimbabwean Government Policies Hindering HIV/AIDS Efforts, Increasing Risk of Infection, HRW Report says. The Body: The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource. Page 1. Retrieved on 19/05/2012. From, Joe, A. (2006). Zimbabwe: Abusive Policies Disrupt Progress on HIV/AIDS. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH. Page 1. Retrieved on 19/05/2012. From, Smee, N. L., University of California, San Francisco., & University of California, San Francisco. (2008). Factors associated with subsequent pregnancy in HIV-infected women and HIV-negative women: Experience from urban Zimbabwe. (Dissertation Abstracts International, 69-6.) USAID (2010). HIV/AIDS health profile. USAID from the America people. Zimbambwe. Pp 1-4. Zimbabwe: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix. (2003). Washington, DC: International monetary fund (IMF). Read More