The Fight Against HIV: the Virus Through Unsafe Sex - Research Paper Example

Causes and effects of HIV in developing countries Introduction Statistics shows that developed countries have lower HIV prevalence than developing countries. There are disparities in the prevalence of the pandemic of different developing countries. These disparities are attributed to differences in the strengths and levels of readiness of countries to combat the virus. Developing countries are struggling with different aspects of the fight against the pandemic. Poverty levels and availability of resources are some of the determinants of a country’s success in this fight. Prospects of international organizations such as the United Nations Population Division indicate changes in the success to combat HIV for different countries. This paper seeks to discuss the causes and effects of HIV in developing countries. Causes of HIV in Developing Countries Sexual contact is still a major cause of HIV infection in developing countries. Despite massive campaigns to sensitize the masses on the use of condoms to help protect against HIV infection, strong cultural values and practices hinder people from embracing the controls. In many developing countries, the use of condoms is viewed as shameful, unnatural, and promiscuous. Commentators have observed growing trends in other ways of sexual contract especially oral and anal sex that are new to many in these countries (Coriat 34). It has been reported that some people in these countries engage in these other ways of sexual contact believing that only vaginal sex leads to HIV infection. As such, innocent people, especially women, perform oral sex on men oblivious of the risk of infection especially in the event of mouth ulcers and sores. Many HIV positive mothers in developing countries infect their babies with HIV when pregnant, during birth, or during breastfeeding. Most developing countries lack adequate information and measures to help screen expectant women for HIV and intervene timely. Medical research has shown that the risk of a HIV positive mother infecting her baby is between fifteen and forty-five percent. This research also shows that with timely diagnosis and intervention, mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be lowered to levels less than five percent. Despite new advances in drugs and treatment that help reduce this risk the technology is expensive and unaffordable for many developing countries. Even so, the high prevalence of mother-to-child HIV transmission in developing countries stems from the high prevalence of HIV infection between adults especially mothers and fathers (Harris 62). HIV infection through blood transfusion is still a problem in developing countries. The high risk of HIV infection stems largely from the negligence on the part of authorities entrusted with the care of blood used for transfusion. Hasty oversight by blood recipients increases the chances of receiving blood infected with HIV. Commentators observe that the gap between the demand and supply of safe blood for transfusion compromises the measures of preventing HIV infection. Only a few people volunteer their blood and some banks peddle unscreened blood. A new challenge to ensuring safety of blood transfusion is the emergence of private blood banks. For example, in India, unauthorized private blood blanks retain infected blood and sell it out to unsuspecting customers (Semba & Martin 64). The risk of HIV infection among injection drug users is on rise in most developing countries. The rise in this prevalence among these users is attributed to the sharing of needles amongst addicts. Injection drugs are relatively expensive and because of the high poverty levels in developing countries, drug users do not afford to a new needle every time they inject themselves thus resorting to the sharing of needles. Many do not sterilize these needles and when some do, they do not sterilize well. Injection drugs are prohibited in many countries and their users buy and use them secretly. The covert nature of injection drug users’ communities makes it difficult for governments and nongovernmental organizations to take interventions to them (Guthrie & Alison 52). Effects of HIV on developing countries A major social effect of HIV in developing countries is the destabilization of the household. HIV has continued to claim the lives of many parents living behind orphans who cannot fend for themselves. Married couples also die living their partners bringing up the children alone thus further impoverishing the family. The treatment of HIV infected patients, funeral and burial expenses are expensive in most of the developing countries, and they strain scarce family resources. Stigma for HIV patients in developing countries is perhaps the second most serious problem next to the virus. HIV infected persons are resented and are avoided by uninfected members of the society thereby affecting both the infected and the uninfected members of the family (Coriat 34). Economically, HIV has claimed the lives of the energetic section of the population of the developing countries. The countries’ economies rely on these individuals, between the age 25 and 45 years, for growth. HIV weakens these individuals lowering their productivity hence stifling the growth of the economy. Many economies, especially those in Africa, depend on agriculture and when such energetic people do not work, such a sector suffers jeopardizing the wellbeing of the economy. There has been evidence showing a reduction in the annual gross domestic product in developing countries that can be attributed to loss of the productive segment of the population (Harris 62). The graph below shows United Nations Population Division’s prospects of life expectancy in a number of developing countries between 1960 and 2002 HIV has had negative effects on life expectancy in developing countries. HIV has pushed back life expectancy levels of some developing countries to where they were decades ago. In addition, the relative life expectancy of different countries has been changed by the pandemic. From the graph, by 1998, the life expectancy in Kenya, Zimbabwe and had fallen to Uganda’s level whereas it was almost double in 1990. Uganda rated stable compared to previous decades. Botswana’s life expectancy dropped to forty years from the sixty years recorded in the mid-eighties. The United Nations Population Division used these statistics to project a further drop in Botswana’s life expectancy to thirty-six years. The prospects also indicated a possibility of changing the population structures for developing countries (Semba & Martin 64). The foreign relations between developing countries and their overseas partners have improved and intensified. Most developed countries and international organizations have increased funds and aid aimed at helping developing countries fight the HIV pandemic. Donors extend aid in terms of funds, expertise, and drugs to help supplement the efforts of developing countries. International nongovernmental organizations have opened branches in developing countries to be in a better position to help in HIV intervention. Some of these donors have been accused of using the funds they provide these countries to exercise undeserved influence on the internal affairs of the recipient countries. This leads to strained relations between countries and such relations have at times led to unfavorable sanctions (Guthrie & Alison 52). In conclusion, the fight against HIV is not yet over and there remains a lot to be done. This is evident in the things that developing countries are struggling with in this endeavor. More people in developing countries are still contracting the virus through unsafe sex because of cultural values and practices. Campaigns need to be intensified towards raising the awareness about the benefits that accompany the use of such controls as condoms. Donations in terms of funds, drugs and human resources should be availed to help curb the rising deaths that arise from the lack of affordability for such things. Multiple approaches should be considered to boost the efforts of developing countries to surmount the impediments of this menace. Such approaches should be cost effective and they should be sustainable. Current circumstances indicate there is hope of developing countries eventually rising above the causes and effects of HIV. Works Cited Coriat, Benjamin. The Political Economy of Hiv/aids in Developing Countries: Trips, Public Health Systems and Free Access. Cheltenham, U.K: Edward Elgar, 2008. Print. Guthrie, Teresa, and Alison Hickey. Funding the Fight: Budgeting for Hiv/aids in Developing Countries. Cape Town: IDASA, 2004. Print. Harris, Nancy. Aids in Developing Countries. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. Print. Semba, Richard D, and Martin W. Bloem. Nutrition and Health in Developing Countries. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press, 2008. Print. Read More