South African AIDS Epidemic
Southern Africa has many issues with HIV/AIDS. It has more HIV/AIDS that any other country in the world. Over 5.7 million South Africans have AIDS which is just under 12% of Southern Africa’s population of 48 million. AIDS is more prevalent among females under the age of 40. In Kwazulu-Natal, about 25.8% of the population had AIDS. In 2007, 28% received anti-retroviral treatment (ART). HIV/AIDS prevalence figures in the 15-19 year range. In April 2010, a large HIV counseling and testing campaign was launched. Condom use has increased from 31% to 64.8%. HIV sex education classes in school in Africa had begun. The quality of the education hindered because of the lack of trained teachers and teachers willing to provide education. As time went on, more and more testing and treatment will be explored to reduce illness, death, and ultimately prevent new infections.
Region: Southern Africa area. Area in all of Africa that had the most HIV/AIDS infections around.
Causes: No use of condoms, refusing to get tested and continued unprotected, Unequal gender relationships, sharing needles, blood to blood contact, blood transfusions with infected blood, sleeping with multiple partners.
Impacts: Raising awareness, larger need for testing and resources, strain on medical in hospitals, loss of healthcare workers, children forced to abandon educations, mom turned into prostitute to earn money, food product decreases.
Solutions: Get tested as soon as