HIV AIDS in Africa - Research Paper Example

HIV AIDS in Africa Nicole Angotti reviewed the work of Jonny Steinberg. Steinberg was a South African journalist and he mentioned the importance of screening of poor and black people in one of the village of his country i.e. Africa and this was done through a man named Sizwe Magadla. He showed that there is a definite links between sex and the consequence of the unprotected sex. According to Steinberg, if a deadly disease is to be tackled then one step is devising the methods of prevention of transmission and the modes of cure of the disease but the main secret to the success in dealing with such diseases is to have a healthy life style having healthy sexual, eating and drinking habits and if someone develops unusual signs and symptoms then one should seek medical assistance immediately. According to him, one out of every eight South African is suffering from AIDS and the mortality rate is around 800/day and about 1000 people are infected every day. Steinberg research was based on a village Lusikisiki which was situated in Eastern Cape Province where majority of the population is black, one out of every three pregnant women is HIV positive but the medical services are also excellent in this village having proper clinics devoted to the treatment of AIDS patients. He carried out his research through a man Sizwe who was a young healthy shopkeeper in the village who used to seek regular medical device and with his help, Steinberg unfolded the secrets of the community to reveal the mystery behind such high incidence of AIDS in the village and it proved to have an inevitable link between the disease and the sexual culture of the region. Cock, Mbori- Ngacha, Marum mention in their research that the treatment approaches which are used to treat HIV AIDS in the region of Africa are mainly based on the experiences of the developed industrialized countries despite of the fact that the risk factors and the affected population in this region is different from other countries. So the policies regarding the treatment and the identification of the risk factors should be redefined according to the local factors. HIV AIDS is most prevalent in the region of sub Saharan Africa and one of the issues in the identification of the risk factors are the stigmas associated with AIDS like shame, disgrace and humility. Signs & Symptoms of HIV AIDS Most of the patients after getting infected with AIDS virus develop flu like symptoms and this phase is called acute HIV infection and this usually lasts for about a month or so and the symptoms during this phase are usually; Primary Infection Fever Muscle pain Skin complaints and inflammation Headache Mouth or genital ulcers Sore throat Swollen lymph glands, mainly on the neck Joint ache Night sweats Diarrhea Symptoms may be mild but the viral load is high during this phase so the risk of transmission of infection is high. Latent Infection This is usually asymptomatic with no obvious signs and symptoms but some patients may present with a clinically palpable lymph node usually in the neck region. Clinically Apparent Infection It is caused by the continuous multiplication of virus and it usually causes the following symptoms; Fever Tiredness Inflamed lymph nodes Weight loss Diarrhea Cough and shortness of breath If no treatment is taken for the infection then the virus damages the immune system and as a result repeated infections with opportunistic organisms such as fungi may occur and the symptoms may include; Night sweats Trembling and Shivering conditions or sometimes patient also suffers from very high fever that can be more than 100 Fahrenheit. This usually occurs for more than a few weeks Cough along with shortness of breath Constant diarrhea Patient may experience unusual cuts especially on tongue or inner part of mouth. HIV/ AIDS affected person may experience persistent white marks appeared on different parts of the body Headaches Persistent and unexplained fatigue Blurred and unclear vision Weight loss Skin rashes or bumps Challenges and Impacts While talking about the challenges regarding HIV/ AIDS in Africa, Edith Mukudi, Edith Mukudi Omwami, Stephen K. Commins mention that the main impact of this infection is on the mortality of the adult population which has increased significantly in the decade of 90s as compared to the 1980s and this increase has affected both the male and the female population. The main challenges include the accountability issues as enormous amounts of aid is given by the G-8 countries as well as the other developed nations to combat this disease but the challenge is to make sure that this aid is used for the propose transparently. One other challenge is the lack of a proper registration system of the disease where there is no proper incidence and prevalence system resulting in the shortcomings in the achievement of the valid statistical data. One more challenge is the need for the enforcement of proper laws for the population at high risk for transmission of the disease such as the commercial sex workers. Impact of HIV AIDS on the Health Sector While talking about the health sector, Salim Abdool Karim, Quarraisha Abdool Karim describe that the impact of the AIDS on the health sector of African region is devastating in many aspects such as the following; The number of the patients suffering from the disease is continuously increasing resulting in more and more load over the health sector. The health workers including doctors as well as paramedical staff are themselves suffering from the disease and as a consequence, the mortality of these workers is also increasing. More and more health services are diverted towards this disease so other sectors are neglected. Morale of the health workers are decreased as a result of the increased mortality of this group due to their involvement in the medical services to the AIDS patients. Financial Impact Several studies in Kenya by World Bank have shown that the industrial cost has increased significantly owing to the absenteeism of the labor as well as the cost of the companies per employer is also increasing due to increase in the cost of medical services to workers who are AIDS patients. Aids & Poverty IFAD describes the relationship between AIDS and poverty, although AIDS is the disease but the relationship with poverty is significant as the poor people are unable to contain within limits due to lack of education. Poverty also causes the lives of these people to move away from the social norms as the male population in this region usually moves to faraway places for better income options. The poor women are unable to protect themselves from sexual exploitation to feed their families. Measures to prevent AIDS Health Education Sex Education Law Enforcement Elevation of Socioeconomic Status Improvement of Literacy Rate Awareness about Protected Sex Measures to Treat HIV/ AIDS Allocating specific budget for research Improving the disease registration system Providing high quantities of anti retro viral drugs used in the treatment of AIDS Proper counseling of the patients and their attendants Conclusion Remind this fact that AIDS does not distinguish caste and religion or the social and educational status. We should all contribute to prevent this disease and the only tool in our hands is to create awareness and spread education especially among poor class. We should also support people having AIDS. We should care them with understanding and passion. REFERENCES: 1. Mukudi, Omwami, and Commins. HIV/ AIDS in Africa: Challenges & Impact. Africa World Press, 2008. 2. Karim, S., and Karim, Q. HIV/ AIDS in South Africa. New York, 2010. 3. World Bank. Intensifying Action Against HIV/ AIDS in Africa: Responding to a Development. Africa Regional Office, 2000. 4. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Symptoms.” HIV/ AIDS (2011). 11 Nov 2011. 5. IFAD. “AIDS and Poverty” 11 Nov 2011. 6. Reviewed by Nicole Angotti. E3W Literature: Sizwe’s Test: A Young Man’s Journey through Africa’s AIDS Epidemic by Jonny Steinberg. University of Texas (2008). 12 Nov 2011. 7. Hochschild. Sunday Book Review: Death March. The New York Times (2008). 12 Nov 2011. 8. Cock, Mbori- Ngacha, Marum. Aids in Africa V- Shadow on the Continent: Public Health and HIV/ AIDS in Africa in the 21st Century. The Lancet (2002). 13 Nov 2011. Read More