“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 Gay Dominated Disease. In 1992 the National Aids Convention of South Africa was formed. Their main focus was to develop programs and strategies that would assist in the management and reduction of the spread of the virus in South Africa. The Aids Helpline was then established, however it was only a few years later that they really started to take action. It was revealed in 1993 that only over the previous 2 years the rate of HIV infection had increased by 60%. It was also predicted infection would double in 1993.
During the same year the rate of infection among pregnant women increased to 4. 3%. ” “In 1994 the South African’s Aids strategy and plans were put into place. Sadly this plan was not effective as it was disorganised. In 1995 the international conference of people living with HIV and Aids was held in South Africa. It was at this time that it was revealed 85,000 people were living with the virus in South Africa, 2. 1% of its total population. Alarmingly in 1996 12. 2% of pregnant women were infected, which increased to 12. 0% in 1992. In 2005 it was revealed that 30. 2% of pregnant women were HIV positive.
It can clearly be seen that during 1993 to 2000 the South African Government did not do very much to stop the spread of HIV. While the world was focusing on the great achievements of democracy the core of the South African Society was being ravished by HIV. ” In 1996 Antiretroviral drugs had been identified to be an effective treatment by many of the 3rd world countries, in South Africa only small groups could afford it while others were dying in poverty and the government was doing little to nothing . to assist them. “It was in the same year that Zakkie Achmad founded the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa.
Later he was nominated for a noble peace prize for all his work in the fight again HIV and Aids. Zakkie’s main argument was that the later economic effects of HIV would cost far more that what the cost of basic HIV prevention education and treatment would. In 2003 they even went as far as laying charges against the minister of health and department for culpable homicide. Eight months later the South African Government approved the provision of much needed drugs to people living with HIV. It was then not to long there after when South Africa become the first country to produce its own antiretroviral drugs.
Even though it was made and now available, the antiretroviral drugs took much longer to reach the people who really needed it. ” The President of South Africa indicated his lack of understanding of HIV and Aids and declared there was no link between HIV and Aids. The Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, decided that all people needed to do was increase their intake of Garlic, beetroots, olive oil and lemons to fight the illness. This official pronouncement totally confused people who were currently living with the virus and undergoing treatment. Socio political factors contributing to the Spread
“Iliffe’s analysis of the socio political aspects of HIV and AIDS in the context of African history… ” During the apartheid times many of the black South African men went to work on the mines and lived in communes they would leave their homes and families for work. As they would stay away for months at a time they very often used the services of prostitutes. On their return home they would resume their sexual relationship with their wives and unknowingly infect them with HIV. Similar circumstances occurred with plantation workers, general laborers, etc.
So during this period migrant workers were traveling back and forth all over the country to both cities and urban areas unknowingly infecting their partners with HIV. “In Botswana the adult infection rate had more than tripled since 1992 when it was estimated to be 10% to a shocking 35. 8% in 2001. “In Zimbabwe by 1992, the likelihood of a 15 year old dying before the end of her reproductive years quadrupled from around 11% in the early 80’s to over 40% by 1992. More than 2000 Zimbabweans were dying a week. ”4 Poverty was a huge contributor as they as women would trade sex for to survive financially thus spreading the disease.
A good example is a young women, whose parents have passed away due to the virus and now she needs to meet the family’s financial needs. As the black people in particular were so oppressed they used every means possible such as selling themselves. “A study in Zambia showed that one hospital had deaths of health care workers had had increased 13 fold over a 10 year period. At one stage it was more than one in 4 Zambians that were HIV positive in the city and one in seven in the rural areas. ”4 African traditions allow multiple wives. The husband does not wear condoms as it would be seen as a lack of respect, trust and faithfulness to the wife.
So even though the husband has been using the services of a prostitute while working away he expected the wives to be faithful and trust that he knew best. Women in African traditional sense are not empowered and have no right to refuse their partner sexually. Thus if he was infected on his return he would infect all his wives. Toward the end of 2005, in South Africa alone there were approximately five and a half million people infected and living with HIV. “In a group evaluation of pregnant women in South Africa, it was shown that 30. 2% (national) of the women tested were HIV positive in 2005.
This group was chosen as they were obviously sexually active and practicing unprotected sex. Sadly, Kwazulu-Natal has the highest rate of infections in one region – 39. 1% and the region of the Western Cape is the lowest at 15. 7%. The highest female age group infected by HIV, on a national level, was ages 25 to 29 years old at 33. 3%. The highest male age group infected by HIV was ages 30 to 39years old at 23. 3%. It was estimated that in 2005 about 10. 6% (national) of South Africans over the age of 2 yrs old was living with HIV. The highest rate being in the province of Kwazulu-Natal with 16.
5% and the lowest rate was in the province of the Western Cape with 1. 9%. It can clearly been seen that over the past 5 years (2000 -2005) there has been an increase in the number of HIV infections per year. 2000 = 24. 5% and 2005 = 30. 2% in pregnant women tested for HIV. ”5 In conclusion, “HIV/AIDS is devastating South Africa, with an estimated 1,600 new HIV infections and 600 people dying of an AIDS related illness each day. The overall HIV prevalence in South Africa is 11%, with HIV prevalence highest in townships and informal urban settlements, where as many as one in five people may be HIV-positive. ” 5