The Issue of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa
The continent of Africa is one of the most affected areas with the disease HIV/AIDS. In 2005 it was estimated that 24.5 million people were living with HIV and around 2.7 additional people were later infected during the course of the year. This past year, HIV has claimed the lives of 2 million people in the region and approximately 12 million children have been orphaned due to the epidemic.
This issue is one of the main topics currently being discussed at the United Nations and is one of the top Millennium Development Goals. The impact that the epidemic is having on Africa is massive. It is affecting African society in that it ruining the progress of generations of extending life expectancy as many adults are dying young and infecting their children with the disease. Because of the growth of the disease it is putting strain on the health sector and therefore not enough antiretroviral drugs are being produced. One of the most important ways in which the situation in Africa can be improved is through increased funding. It is imperative that education of the treatment and ways of prevention continue in order to reduce the numbers of deaths and those affected. It is proven that if a girl in Africa attends primary school her chances of getting HIV fall by half as much. Many countries are affected with the epidemic and the disease continues to evolve and spread throughout the world. By debating and discussing this topic, hopefully a solution will appear in order to save lives and help those infected.
