Why HIV/AIDS in South Africa?

p HIV in South Africa

A region of epidemic HIV in South Africa , the first sighting

A few decades ago , a terrible disease , previously unknown to the human race , began to kill people in the most alarming and terrifying circumstances . It was as though some prime evil beast had surfaced in the collective bloodstream of the human race . Wherever this microscopic beast appeared , it produced panic , fear , guilt , hysteria , accusations excruciating suffering and always , in the end , death

As early as the 1980s reports began to flood the press and medical

journals about an epidemic of a new disease : acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS . While the disease initially seemed to be confined to the male homosexual population in Europe and North America , cases were soon reported in Africa , where the disease seemed to be spreading through heterosexual sexual contact

Medical researchers speculated that the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV , which eventually causes AIDS , had originated in Africa and then infected Europe . Some researchers suggested that the virus had jumped species due to Africans ' closer proximity to wild animals , bizarre food habits and exotic initiation ceremonies or sexual customs involving monkey blood . Other doctors felt that Africans might have a racial predisposition to AIDS or were naturally more promiscuous than Europeans , resulting in the disease spreading rapidly

HIV is currently one of the world 's fastest spreading pandemics and sadly South Africa has one of the highest growing infection rates , as well as the largest number of people living with the virus in one country

As we are all aware that this disease has far reaching economic and social effects , such as poverty , stigmatization , etc . that are only now surfacing

The South African Government has been slow in responding to the pandemic however they have started stepping up and currently have several programs running . Corporate and non-governmental organizations have stepped up their involvement , in awareness and various relief projects , such as workplace education , community education , community food projects , etc

HIV is destroying the South African society and if drastic action is not taken , the country will not survive arguably the disease of the century

History of HIV in Southern Africa

South Africa 's turbulent history has been a major contributing factor in the spread of the disease . In 1982 the first HIV diagnosis was made in South Africa . In 1985 the South African Government set up its first Aids Advisory Group , in response to the increasing rate of HIV infections . Initially this virus was seen to be a "gay disease , however it became apparent that it was not , by 1985 people in other sectors of society had become infected

It was only after the 1994 democratic elections that the new government started dealing with the HIV and Aids crisis in South Africa . In 1990 as a result of an antenatal HIV test it showed that "0 .8 " of pregnant women were infected with HIV . In the years that followed the heterosexual rate of infection increased proving once again that this was not a...