HIV / AIDS

HIV / AIDS

AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, the leading cause of death due to infectious disease, and has surpassed malaria as the number one killer in Africa. There are more than 2.2 million AIDS cases reported worldwide, and 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. More than 16 million people have died from AIDS, including more than 3 million in 2000.

Because of its incredible toll on human life, AIDS has been identified as a threat to world security. It is expected to cause catastrophic long-term consequences in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the former Soviet Union.

HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa

AIDS is the leading cause of death in southern Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa makes up one-tenth of the world's population, but two-thirds of the HIV-positive population and more than 80% of all AIDS deaths occur in this region. In 1999, nearly 70% of the 5.6 million new cases of HIV infection occurred in sub-Saharan Africa.

Uganda established a National AIDS Control Program in 1987 and hosted the first Phase I HIV vaccine trial in 1999, taking the lead in AIDS prevention efforts in Africa. Through extensive education efforts, approximately 90% of the population in Uganda has awareness about HIV and AIDS, and many people have adopted safe sex practices. Unfortunately, many other African countries have not following Uganda's lead.

Even grimmer, is the fact that most people in Africa cannot afford the antiretroviral drugs that are the cornerstone of AIDS care in the United States and other Western nations, which can cost more than $20,000 per year. Although efforts are being made to lower the cost, even an 80% cut in price may not be enough to make the drugs affordable.

Further, the strict regimen that the drugs require often demands a drastic change in lifestyle that is difficult for many people. Even more basic than medicine, many HIV-infected Africans are undernourished and hungry. Getting food to these people may be even more important than providing medications.

Various factors have contributed to the current AIDS crisis in Africa, including the following:

• Likelihood that the HIV virus originated in Africa and spread and evolved before preventative actions could be taken
• Fierce denial on the part of many people, including presidents of African nations, that HIV causes AIDS, that sex education is necessary to stop its spread, and that Western medicine or science can be trusted
• Inability to pay for the expensive antiretroviral drugs
• Malnourishment and poor health of many people in Africa

Because education, prevention, and AIDS therapy present insurmountable challenges, the best hope for stopping the epidemic in Africa may be development of a vaccine. Although more than two dozen experimental vaccines have been tested worldwide, only one—AIDSVAX—reached Phase III clinical trials. In 2003, studies determined this vaccine is ineffective in preventing HIV infection.