The Microeconomic Impact of AIDS in Africa

Name

Course

University

Tutor

Date

The world has been greatly affected by the HIV /AIDS pandemic indiscriminately although some parts have proved to be more vulnerable than others . It has ravaged the people since the 1980 's when it was first discovered . Despite this , it has been established that more than two thirds o those who are infected by the scourge are found in Africa and especially in the sub-Sahara part of Africa . This is in spite of the fact that this area consists of only 10 of the

population in the world This then means that a very big percentage of those in Africa are suffering from HIV /AIDS . It is sad to realize that the majority of those who are infected and affected by the disease are those in the working age bracket . This then affects all aspects of life including social cultural , and economic

In all these aspects , there has been a change towards the negative Those who are not infected are affected by having someone close to them suffering from the disease . In almost every household , there is someone suffering from it . It affects the economy by reducing the laborer force and at the same time increasing costs . This affects the industries households and enterprises . It also affects the government because of reduced taxes yet the expenditure has been increased on those who are in need of health care . In these countries , there was already an economic problem before the advent of the disease and this has been escalated by the impact of the disease . It leads to the inability of these economies to advance since most of the resources are channeled towards efforts of curbing the disease (Chaminuka

, Anim F , Debustus L . K Nqangweni S . 2-8

The mainstay of most of the African countries is agriculture . The majority of people practice small-scale agriculture and it is among the most affected sectors in the continent . This is because resources are withdrawn from farming and directed to the healthcare of the ailing individuals . This occurs in various ways as will be explained in this . First , the labor resource is reduced greatly because those who are working in the farms are the same ones who get sick . This then leads to lack of labor for the farms and hence the productivity of these farms is greatly reduced . Furthermore , the money that can be used to hire laborers is already being used in the healthcare of the sick person (http /www .avert .org

Secondly , the monetary capital required in the advancement of farming is already being used by the family in the purchasing of drugs and general health care of the sick person . This then means that the implements necessary for the improvement and increase of productivity are not purchased . It is also affected by the loss of income earners either through death or to the ravages of the disease . If the person who is required to infuse monetary capital to the farming business loses his or...