HIV en Afrique (texte en anglais)

Although the origins of HIV in Africa remains uncertain, there have been two main theories of how HIV developed into a virus affecting humans. The first theory is that HIV initially crossed from the possible human consumption of contaminated chimpanzees and the second theory is because of Western physicians who unknowingly infected Africans with contaminated polio vaccines which are cultivated in monkey kidney tissues that could have been contaminated with SIV, a disease closely related to HIV (Martin, 2008). As represented in Figure 1, in 1982, Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania were the first three countries who have been greatly impacted by HIV, representing over 1% of the total population. Five years later, in 1987, the number dramatically increased to include twenty countries, most of them situated along popular track routes or major transportation lines that cut across Sub-Saharan Africa. By 1992, Sub-Saharan Africa became the hub of HIV epidemic; all of Sub-Saharan Africa faced the epidemic of HIV and the rate of infection was spreading rapidly throughout the region. In 1997, many countries, such as Nambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia were infected with the devastating disease. Figure 2 demonstrates an estimated 8% of the African population being infected with HIV, and Sub-Saharan Africa consists of nearly three-quarters of all HIV-infected people worldwide, with a range of 15% to 36% of inhabitants containing this disease, therefore showcasing the extremely high HIV prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa compared to the rest of the world. Africa is made mainly of very poor, poverty stricken countries with the lack of money and funds for medical facilities, and this low level of development contributes greatly to the high prevalence of HIV in this region.

The high rates of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa intensifies the epidemic and also leads to stigma and discrimination as it not only made it more difficult for people to come in terms with HIV but it also interfered with their ability to fight HIV as a whole (History). Due to the tremendously low level of development in the country and the lack of medical infrastructure, funding, and poor communication paths, they received minimal education and medical care from these infections. Moreover, discrimination against people affected by HIV infection jeopardized equitable distribution of HIV prevention, care and treatment services to the people. Many children were kicked out of schools and denied access to their educational services, and people affected by HIV/AIDS were terminated or refused from employment (History). The experience of HIV/AIDS by poor individuals and communities led to an intensification of poverty, which in turn accelerated the onset of HIV/AIDS. Many impoverished girls and women became vulnerable to exploitation, seeing sex as one of the few options to support themselves (UNFPA). The prejudice present in HIV/AIDS discrimination needs to be addressed as this lack of concern for human rights worsens the impact of the disease and undermines progress.

The cultural factors such as sexual promiscuity and gender inequalities create circumstances of greater HIV risk, and the widespread labor migration causes the disease to transmit more quickly throughout the region. Many communities have traditionally open attitudes towards multiple sexual partners and pre-marital and outside marriage sexual activity. According to the Economist (2008), both formal and informal

...