Pharmaceutical companies don't seem to be doing business in Africa.. and for developing countries the price is too high. It's cheaper to die... and easier to let them die.
I often wonder if the spread of Aids in Africa is due to:
Ignorance,
Catholicism or any belief which bans the use of condoms.
Economic despair which may drive women to prostitution
Men straying from woman to woman
A total loss of consciousness and personal responsibility
An ambitious drive towards ethnic cleansing
Aids in Africa is no joke...
If the leading cause of death in the UK was Aids something would be done.
However.. this is Africa.
This is... ( and if not) should be a major concern for African governments at the very least ( what does the World Health Organisation do?) and the re-education of the adult population who seem oblivious can't come soon enough.
Some will say it's the law of nature, and that for every person who leaves another arrives, that all things serve a purpose.
I dont know... i'm not sure yet...all I know is...I came across these statistics I thought I'd share..
Make of it what you will.
1. The first case of HIV/AIDS in Africa was reported in 1982.
2. Of the 33.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS across the world, 22.5 million are in Africa.
3. More than 29.4% of people are said to be living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa, the highest number of any country in the world.
4. In 2009, 1.8 million people died due to HIV/AIDS. 1.3 million lived in Africa.
5. Women account for 59% of adults aged 15 and over said to be living with HIV/AIDS in Africa.
6. South Africa has been hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic. One in five adults is HIV positive.
7. South Africa also has one of the highest numbers of children under 15 living with HIV/AIDS in the world; estimates range from 180,000 to 280,000.
8. 2.5 million people in Africa receive Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV.
9. An additional 8.7 million are in need of ART.
10. There are 15 million AIDS orphans living around the world, 13 million of whom are in Africa.
11. HIV is the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa.
12. This table provides a compelling view of how HIV/AIDS is ravaging Africa
13. HIV/AIDS statistics for Africa at the end of 2007, compared to the rest of the world.
Region Total No. (%) Living with HIV/AIDS Newly Infected in 2007 Adult (15-49) Prevalence Rate
Global Total 33 million (100%) 2.7 million 0.8%
Sub-Saharan Africa 22.0 million 1.9 million 5.0%
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation
Averting HIV & AIDS
The World Bank
LGBT RightsSex EducationHIV and AIDSSexual HealthSex and Relationships
Fact Sheet
Kanye West quoted as saying "pharmaceuticals don't care about black people". I jest but if you look deeper this holds true. The price is not high, it is artificially so and kept that way on purpose. My bros, a doctor, was involved in a drug monitoring scheme and the amount of perfectly good drugs destroyed really dismayed him. He's also a member of a procurement scheme for developing countries, and has been repeatedly denied access to redistribute these destroyed drugs.
ReplyDeleteAs you can guess there are lots of ART (or similar) drugs in the destroyed batches. I would say scandalous but no one gives a shit. You're African and poor you die. its that simple.
It's a sin to be poor and wretched. you can only live by hope
What's the reason they give for denying him access to these drugs?
ReplyDeleteIf the plan is population reduction then they're doing a good job, as these poor people are like chess pawns.. in reality never really knowing what an 'injection ' may contain.
Much points to the deliberate creation of Aids..
many of us are completely in the dark.. developing countries really can't get a break.
Amazing statistics Dawna and yes pharmaceutical companies are making a mint at the expense of millions of people. The African governments do NEED to make a concious effort with educating people but quite frankly if they dont care then rest of the world won't either. Through lack of education the typical sick and poor african who can't afford proper medication will seek cure from a so called witch doctor to rid them of disease who will willingly take their money, on average how many marital rapes occur where the husband may be infected yet disregard the welfare of his wife who if unlucky also becomes victim. Rapes are probably one of the biggest source of aids in africa too but does the government do anything about it??......NO
ReplyDeleteVery sad state of affairs to think Africa is still over looked after how many years now??......its sad to know the future is still grim for the young ones!!!
The misappropriation of a patriarchal society. Crazy.. really when you think about it.. the subjugation of women through violence and rape.. . I can’t understand it. I hadn’t thought about it in that way you've mentioned but yes, I guess after a long trip some husbands may insist, who knows, it’s difficult to say as we’re assuming the wife doesn’t want her husband. After a long trip, why would she not, especially if he is providing for her the family.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it’s quite easy to mess with ‘fixed’ societies really, once you get to know the customs and beliefs.
However, if a wife is seen as 'property' than I dare say the question of 'rape' may not be a question at all.