HIV refers to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus that is transmitted from one individual to another via the exchange of body fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids and even breast milk. The virus can be transmitted from one individual to another during childbirth or breast feeding (mother to child transmission), through sexual intercourse and by sharing needles in drug injection. When HIV advances in the body of an individual who has it; it leads to an Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); a condition that leads to a loss in the count of white blood cells (CD4 cells) in the body and thus making the body very vulnerable and susceptible to opportunistic illnesses and infections. As until now; no cure has been put forward for HIV/AIDS, but the effects of the virus on the body can be significantly reduced via the use of Antiretroviral Drugs which reduces basically lengthens the lives of individuals living with the virus.
The first case of HIV/AIDS was reported in 1985. I can not comfortably say that HIV/AIDS is still a huge pandemic in the 21st century. This is because; people are more knowledgeable a great number of preventive measures have been put forward in an attempt to demystify it. The prevalence of HIV and the fatality rate greatly differs with different geographic locations. Different countries in Africa have a varied prevalence rate of HIV infection amongst their adult populations. In Cameroon the rate is at 5.3%, 5.2% in Gabon, 3.6% in Nigeria, 24.8% in Botswana, 23.6% in Lesotho, over 5% in East Africa (Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya). Apart from Botswana and Lesotho; South Africa does have the highest prevalence rate of HIV infection in Africa, this is 17.8%. According to statistics; these rates have reduced significantly as people have become more informed, careful and practice safer sexual behavior. There have been certain myths associated with HIV/AIDS especially in Africa and these have dragged down the efforts of governments, social workers and community projects in attempting to bring down the pandemic and its effects.
• The first myth is that antiretroviral drugs are poison: Although these drugs just like any other drug have side effects such as strange dreams, diarrhea, nausea, fat retribution and even fatal ones such as nerve damage; they are very effective in suppressing the HIV virus. Patients using them may need help however on how to deal with the varied side effects.
• The second myth is that HIV tests are a myth: There are two tests carried out to detect the HIV antibodies in the body and they include the ELISA and blot test. The ELISA-Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test is normally confirmed by the blot test for surety. Out of 1000 of these tests only 1 would produce false result.
• Another myth is that HIV/AIDS is caused by malnutrition and poverty: According to a death certificate count conducted in South Africa; it was reported that 57% more people died in 2002 than in 1997 (a period when deaths from HIV/AIDS was greatest) and yet it is clear that poverty and malnutrition rates have reduced significantly over this years. This clearly shows that individuals may have still been in denial about the pandemic.
• A different myth states that HIV/AIDS is a punishment dumped on Africa from the West: This has been concluded by many ignorant individuals in African countries due to the fact that there is a lesser widespread of the epidemic in the West. They therefore say that it is a punishment imposed on them so as to duly oppress and ‘rule’ them.
• A different very common myth states that one can contact HIV/AIDS by sharing utensils, towels, bedding and even through physical body contact. This is not true as the only way that one can contact the virus is through exchange of bodily fluids.
The above myths have led to stigmatization against people living with HIV/AIDS especially in many African countries. This is because many people do not want to associate with people living with disease as a result of the myth that any physical contact with them would lead to them acquiring the disease. Many people especially in the remote rural areas believe these myths as there is no television, radio or media around them who can help in educating them and demystifying these myths to them. There are many community help projects started by foreigners in the rural areas but then again the problem of language barrier arises. Despite this; there is still a hope as the rates of prevalence has reduced considerably over the years and this shows that awareness is wide spreading and people are becoming more empowered.
The pandemic has resulted in great social and economic impacts. The pandemic has widely affected education, agriculture, transport, human resource and many African economies in general. Some of the major effects of HIV/AIDS in many African countries include the following:
• HIV/AIDS has greatly reduced life expectancy in many African countries. This has greatly reduced productivity in these countries because death in greater labor force leads to many sections of the economy lacking workers and thus slowed growth in economic activities.
• HIV/AIDS pandemic has put a great strain in many African countries’ health sector. This has greatly been felt especially in countries that depend on donor funds to run their operations.
HIV/AIDS has affected certain households in many African countries. This is because children have lost parents with no one to fend for them and thus a lack of basic needs. Fathers die living their wives with a huge responsibility to care for their children. What does this lead to? The women end up seeking whatever means possible to provide for their children; thus they end up in prostitution which eventually widens the spread circle. It thus is a continuous circle that never seems to end.
HIV/AIDS pandemic has really affected economic growth and economic development in many African countries in terms of a strain on resources, a reduction on work force and thus has presented a really great challenge in dealing/coping with the pandemic. What is the way forward for Africa you may ask? Education and empowerment is the way forward for Africa. This would aim at creating awareness, empowering people and thus reducing stigma and discrimination associated with the infection and spread of the disease.
There is need for a formal education to people that HIV/AIDS is just a disease like any other disease despite the fact that there may be no current cures to it; the virus can be suppressed and those living with the disease can leave very normal lives under medication. As Johnny Steinberg illustrated in his book “Sizwe’s Test” there is a need to raise awareness against stigma. People need to take the first individual step and initiative aiming towards prevention. They ought to take the first step by knowing their status and stopping stigma; as through individual initiative and responsibility; the community can easily get empowered and HIV/AIDS would be a history.
Most governments are really doing great in their attempts to reduce HIV/AIDS spread. They are mainly using the media to spread messaged on safer sex and ways that reduces the spread of the disease such as the use of condoms, encouraging voluntary testing and counseling, putting up billboards that convey the message to the communities, providing information to infected pregnant mothers on ways in which they can avoid infecting their unborn babies with the virus. Many public hospitals also have provisions for free antiretroviral that go a long way in suppressing the virus and ensuring that those infected can live longer with the virus.
The United States of America through community and international projects has aimed at ensuring that communities in Africa are educated on the preventive measures against the disease and how to treat those infected. They also donate funds aimed towards such projects. HIV/AIDS is not only Africans’ problem but it is also my and your problem because as human beings we are not only interdependent but we are also interconnected in ways that we do not understand and thus we need to care for and show concern for each other. There is a great need to make sure that the HIV/AIDS becomes history in Africa. It may seem like an un-achievable dream but with time, faith and hope; it may come to pass.
