| ports state that sub-Saharan Africa contains little | | | | responsible for 100 patients per day. |
| more than 10 percent of the world’s | | | | Health workers are also not spared from the |
| population and two thirds of the overall population in | | | | epidemic yet there is also a high demand for health |
| this region are people living with HIV (UNAIDS 2008 | | | | care. The conditions doctors, nurses and other health |
| Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic). AIDS has | | | | professionals work in – poor pay, excessive |
| caused enormous human suffering and some of the | | | | workloads and so on – forces them to |
| problems the continent is faced with can be linked to | | | | migrate to countries with better opportunities, |
| the epidemic. All sectors of society have been | | | | immediately after they’ve obtained better |
| affected; from households to the health sector, | | | | training and experience. Governments have to put in |
| economy, and much more. | | | | more money for treatment and the health sector |
| Households | | | | proves to need more in terms of government |
| No part of the population is unaffected by HIV/AIDS | | | | funding. |
| but it is the poorest members of society that are | | | | Education |
| most affected and vulnerable, and whom | | | | As education workers are affected by the epidemic, |
| consequences of the epidemic are most severe to. | | | | the level and quality of education suffers in turn. |
| Parents die, children are given to relatives but | | | | Children are forced out of school because there is no |
| relatives are also affected children end up on their | | | | one to pay school fees or they have to take care of |
| own hence families dissolve. Emotional drain, pain, | | | | their sick parents. |
| despair, uncertainty and other emotions are brought | | | | Human resource |
| about by the epidemic. Breadwinners die; medical | | | | With the labour force also affected, social and |
| costs and funeral costs further deplete the families. | | | | economic progress is heavily set back. There is less |
| Families may choose to spend less on necessities like | | | | productivity when people are constantly sick and |
| food to take care of their sick members with the | | | | absent from work to the point where they do not |
| hope that they would get better, and when they die | | | | recover. Not only that, but there are additional costs |
| it is a major blow to the family and they may never | | | | in outsourcing skills, skill is washed out, more sick |
| recover financially when the breadwinner dies. The | | | | leaves with pay and so on; companies have to invest |
| rate of food production has dropped dramatically | | | | more in productivity. There is increased absenteeism |
| because HIV/AIDS is affecting the able members of | | | | hence recruitment and training expenses. |
| our families then there is no one to cultivate the | | | | Life expectancy |
| fields although drought is also to blame for this | | | | AIDS is washing down the drain years of progress in |
| situation. With less food production, families are | | | | trying to extend life expectancy in many African |
| forced to rely on handouts or food distribution. | | | | countries. In Swaziland for instance, it has been |
| Children lose not only caretakers or guardians, but | | | | estimated that life expectancy at birth, which is |
| sometimes their childhood as well, as they may be | | | | currently just 33, would be 66 without AIDS (UNDP, |
| forced to be parents to their siblings at a tender age. | | | | Human Development Report 2005). Government |
| Health | | | | revenues have declined because most of the people |
| An increase in the prevalence rate of HIV in a | | | | die at a time when they have to contribute towards |
| country means the strain on that country’s | | | | government tax. |
| hospitals is likely to increase. In countries where there | | | | Economy |
| are shortages in health care supplies like beds and | | | | HIV/AIDS came at a time when most African |
| bedding material, not to mention medication, patients | | | | countries were still struggling to find their feet after |
| may be forced to use the floors and the hospitals | | | | war, debt and underdevelopment. Some of these |
| may be forced to admit more than they are required | | | | countries are still struggling to measure up to these |
| or people are forced to return home. This may | | | | crises. Some governments still struggle to provide |
| reduce the standard of care given to patients and | | | | basic infrastructure for its citizens. |
| you’ll find cases like one nurse being | | | | |