AIDS In South Africa Essay, Research Paper
As we have studied in class, Africa was a prime location where the majority of crops were the growing of cash crops. Yet, whenever the prices of these crops fell on world markets, the economics of many African countries were devastated. And it had not been until after the 1970’s when Africa became more frequent in the growing of food along with the cash crops. Yet Africa still remains in debt from ever so long ago.
It is estimated that nearly 20% of South Africans, or four million carry the HIV virus, and up to half of all the county?s teenagers will die from AIDS-related illnesses.
It was to be cleared up that neither President Thabo Mbeki, nor health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang ever said that HIV did not lead to AIDS. In fact it is written in the nine ?policy guideline? booklets that HIV does exactly so. Yet the providing of drugs to the four million had not been a strategy released by President Mbeki, when other strategies were given on October 24, 2000. Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang told a foreign journalist that assistance should be given to the country for the debt to be canceled, so laboratories could be made to monitor the people that ?you want us to put on anti-retrovirals.?So in other words, South Africa is asking for help to cancel their debt from other countries, quite possibly the US.
If such measures are taken that other countries will reach out their hands to help medicate HIV victims in Africa, the results may show in more places that South Africa. The treatment of HIV is rather very expensive and it could play a toll in such countries. So it really is up to the citizens of those where-abouts. But if help is given to South Africa, it could extend the life of many people and in minor cases, some could be cured of their virus before it has reached ful-blown AIDS. This matter is highly difficult, and so we need to wait to see if a formal proposal is placed upon the US from South Africa regarding this matter.