WIll Condoms Really Stop AIDS in Africa?

When it came to differing views between western beliefs and the native point of view, one of the bigger problems was the conflict about contraception and stopping the spread of HIV and AIDS. Southern Africa, were the Dobe Ju’/hoansi subside, has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the world. “[T] he world U/N. figures for June 2000 show a seropositive rate among adults of 19.54 percent in Namibia, 19.94 percent in South Africa, and a staggering 35.8 percent in Botswana (Lee 2003: 190).” Because of the epidemic the life expectancy in the area has also drastically dropped. Western medical professionals have made clear to most communities that condoms are the most effective protection from HIV/AIDs. Because of this many western clinics and organizations in Africa distribute condoms to the local people. Regardless of the

There are an immense amount of problems in Africa caused by the AIDS disease. Healthcare providers are available and located all over Africa. Even though they are available, they have only “enough medicine for long-term survival available for 30,000 Africans” (Copson, 3).

In The Invisible Cure, Helen Epstein talks about why HIV/AIDS rate is so high in Africa compared to the rest of the world. Through the book, she gives us an account of the disease and the struggles that many health experts and ordinary Africans went through to understand this disease, and how different African countries approached the same problem differently. Through this paper, I will first address the different ways Uganda and Southern African countries, South Africa and Botswana in particular, dealt with this epidemic, and then explain how we can use what we have learned from these African countries to control outbreaks of communicable disease elsewhere around the world.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been a major health concern due to its rapid ability to spread and high death rate. Although HIV can be found all around the world, it is most common in Africa. For decades, both sociologist and scientist have struggled to determine the specific causes that led to the wide spread of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. The novel The Invisible Cure: Why We Are Losing the Fight Against AIDS in Africa by Helen Epstein tells her journey as a molecular biologist trying to find a cure for HIV across Sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout her journey, Epstein is able to experience the various problems that the majority of people in the African continent face. The problems that Epstein encounters can easily be fixed, but because of the lack of effective government control in most areas they aren’t. Through cultural, political, and social factors, Epstein depicts the roots of the HIV outbreak and the possible cures that can be found within Uganda’s collective efficacy.

1. Comment on the Brazilian and Indian governments’ strategies for the prevention of AIDS via the marketing of condoms.

“There is a need to take Zambian or African culture seriously in order to look at the salient elements of cultural practices in rites of passage that influence the spread of HIV and AIDS” (Moyo & Muller, 2011). Giving birth to a child is considered special, value and brings respect, and high societal status in South African culture. If a woman has not gotten pregnant after some time of their marriage, the husband is asked to make special arrangements with another woman to see if she gets pregnant by the husband. If there is a problem with the husband, the family will make special arrangements with another man until the woman conceives. This is kept secret and money is given as a gift for the favor. This is the culture of the people of South Africa which has a great influence on the spread of HIV/AIDS due to having multiple partners.

In addition to the influence of politics in health care, I was exposed to the importance of culture. Treatments and etiologies of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS, and contraception contain cultural components. When working with women about family planning in South Africa, for example, Depo-Provera shots are the most effective option. The explanation for this lies in the strongly patriarchal and agricultural nature of the indigenous society. A traditional rural family includes many children (preferably male). With many children, however, nourishment and supervision are usually insufficient. Consequently, an interest in contraception has arisen. Although oral contraceptives were available at first, this option led

Lack of information and skills, little contact to contraceptive methods including condoms and exposure to forced sex puts people at high risk of HIV infections. A series of complications to their use of health amenities may make it challenging for them to gain the information and health services they require. A growing quantity of people existing with HIV is being accused for transferring the virus to their sexual companion(s). Spreading HIV to others has been in the media since the widespread first began and some of the people worried have even been unlawfully accused and confined. It may appear evident to accuse someone for infecting someone with a virus that has the possibility to be lethal, this hypothesis and its penalties can cause several

More than 90% of the infections came from the global south. In class we have discussed how underfunded third world countries like Africa are. Their women can’t afford contraceptives let alone medicine to prevent HIV. Women in areas like these don’t have many civil rights and depend on the help of others to aide them. The article talks about how there is new aides available but the road blocks of getting it to the people who need it interfere greatly. The topic of aids is not discussed like it should be. The effect it can have on one’s life is greatly underestimated by today’s youth. It has to be understood that the disease is still out there and a cure hasn’t come to the surface yet. It’s dangerous and life threatening and young people need to be educated on

Government’s strategies in Brazil and India are different concerning the prevention of AIDS via the marketing of condoms. Brazilian strategy allows the prevention of AIDS, which is a good thing in a country like Brazil (“half a million Brazilians are infected with the virus”). The government is getting closer of people with high risk but is still insufficient. As the text said, Brazil is the second highest number of reported HIV infections in America after the U.S. Unlike the Brazilian government, the Indian is making a good campaign according to their religious believes and culture. The government is open-minded. But like Brazil, India is facing the quick spread of the virus, “already up to 2.4 million of India’s 1 billion people are infected with HIV”.

AIDS is very prevalent throughout all of Africa. The presence of this epidemic is a massive problem that affects millions all throughout the entire continent. Former United States President, Bill Clinton, once said “We live in a completely interdependent world, which simply means we cannot escape each other. How we respond to AIDS depends, in part, on whether we understand this interdependence. It is not someone else 's problem. This is everybody 's problem”. It is known that AIDS are a problem, it is also know that they are a very big problem in Africa. The people of Africa, and truly people all around the world, need to realize how large of a problem AIDS are in Africa. The death numbers are astonishing and are something that we can help cut down on. Action needs to be taken in an attempt to prevent and also treat the epidemic that is AIDS.

In terms of gender inequalities, In Namibia, it is believed that men who have sex with other men are more at risk for HIV/AIDS (Lorway.436). Which is not entirely true, as women are more biologically prone to get HIV/AIDS. Although they claim that men who are sexually active with other males are more prone to become infected, the prisons in Namibia are prohibited from giving males condoms, (Lorway. 436). This is an inequity as condoms should be provided as those can help in the spread of HIV/AIDS. Many of the males who are infected with HIV/AIDS, got it from working in the sex industry, “He would sometimes let German men take him without a condom because they usually offered more money for it.” (Lorway. 443). Due to their financial situations, they turn to the sex industry to bring some sort of an income, which causes them to forget the

HIV is a virus that affects human immune systems making them susceptible to a variety of diseases that may prove fatal to the patient. Apparently the most affected by this disease are people who live in the developing countries and the African continent. The Sub-Saharan Africa faces the highest HIV prevalence rate. In this region, South Africa faces greater problems associated with HIV and the effects are vast and devastating. As such, the government, organizations and regional organizations come together to fight the menace. This paper seeks to propose that South Africa is actively engaged in HIV control by exploring the various ways in which it undertakes to control and prevent the long suffering of the infected persons as well as

Two women: each with two very different stories. One woman is single and enjoys her independence. She is not promiscuous but she enjoys the company of men from time to time. She doesn’t want to risk her own health, and she doesn’t want to risk the chance of becoming pregnant. She knows that many options exist but isn’t sure which is right for her. Another young woman enjoys her life as a mother of two. She is married and loves her husband but neither of them are ready for a third child. She too is looking for an effective option to keep her and her family protected. For both of these women condoms can help them in their life. Condoms are effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies and the stop the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Condoms are not only easy to obtain but they are easy, quick, and effective to use. While, condoms are not 100% effective in preventing unwanted however, they are a viable option for anyone who is sexually active in protecting themselves.

As stated above, there an array of problems that contributed to the vast spread of HIV. One of the primary one’s was the low use of condoms which was reported in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This sparked a national program to promote condom use, established in 1991 and 1992 by commercial sex workers. After a successful innovative pilot project by Dr.Rojanapithayakorn, the regional director of the Thai CDC in Ratchaburi Province, he developed a national ‘100% Condom Program. The 100% Condom Program was supervised at the provincial government level, involving collaboration between