The Victories and Vexations of HIV and AIDS: An African Perspective

In sub-Saharan Africa, AIDS has resulted in many deaths, economic loss, suffering and change of cultures. Victories in the HIV and AIDS fight  like the development of a good diagnostic test, antiretrovirals, changes in risky behaviour that predispose people to HIV and vexations like lack of a vaccine, deaths, economic loss and hardship, social stigma and continuous HIV transmission are major public health concerns. A review of 47 relevant literatures on major themes of this paper was carried out on PubMed, EMBASE, google and reference checks. Books, conferences and workshop reports and other ministry of health reports publications with relevant information on this topic were also reviewed.  Observations on some African cultures and in-depth interviews were carried out. Seventeen of these abstracts had relevant articles which were manually retrieved, photocopied and thoroughly reviewed or printed electronically from the internet.

 With the availability of rapid diagnostic tests and antiretroviral drugs, many lives have been saved. The changes in some repugnant cultural habits have reduced the burden of HIV and AIDS in some communities. Socially, sexual promiscuity among young women and commercial sex workers is on the increase because of poverty and economic hardship. Many AIDS orphans need food, shelter, education, clothing, emotionally and psychological well-being, health care and subsistence. Some Africans have refused to accept the realities of the disease as most governments reacted late. Behaviour change and stigma have been difficult to measure and quantify. The social, cultural and economic consequences of the burden of HIV and AIDS on African communities are highlighted. The enactment of laws on human rights of HIV and AIDS patients can fight the social stigma of the disease. Community coping mechanisms should be sustained for the care of AIDS orphans.