HIV/AIDS in Botswana. - 1525 Words

An estimated 25 million people in Africa were living with AIDS in 2003 (AIDS and HIV Statistics for Africa). In Botswana alone, the AIDS prevalence rate is an immense 36.5% (HIV and AIDS in Botswana). In Botswana, AIDS has been an ongoing epidemic since the first case reported in 1985 (HIV and AIDS in Botswana). AIDS is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which weakens a person s immune system causing them to be more susceptible to infectious diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia, the flu, and many other diseases. Though AIDS does not directly kill people, the infectious diseases will frequently become fatal. AIDS is transmitted through both homosexual and heterosexual intercourse, blood transfusions with HIV positive†¦show more content†¦The population of Botswana below the poverty line is 47% (CIA-The World Factbook-Botswana). Botswana s people have very poor living conditions and many of the people do not have access to safe drinking water. After contractin g the HIV virus, one s immune system is much more susceptible to infectious diseases; these diseases are brought by the unsafe drinking water or the unacceptable living conditions. These more-susceptible people may catch infectious and fatal diseases. The poor people also have reduced access to health services. When Botswana s HIV infected people are exposed to an unhealthy environment or unsafe water, they are very likely to be infected by diseases that their slowed immune systems cannot fight off. This results in many more deaths of AIDS infected people. Poverty can also cause more HIV transmission. It is common for young girls to have sex with men to get money to pay for schooling or food (AIDS in Africa). This is not right and is putting these young girls at risk of infection; young girls should not need money bad enough to have to get it from a man by having sex with him. Also, with poverty comes a lack of education, education about the horrors of AIDS and how to prevent it. Th ere needs to be a solution for the half of Botswana that lives in poverty and does not receive a properShow MoreRelatedThe Epidemic Of Botswana, South Africa Essay1282 Words   |  6 Pagesdirected towards reducing the amount of HIV/AIDS cases that continue to rise each year, they have chosen to implement failed policies or none at all. Countries that have attempted to enact government policy to try to decrease the spread of the epidemic has ultimately failed in a broad sense. The epidemic is known as the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the virus Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) (†¦). For this research paper, the countries of Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe will beRead MoreThe Republic Of Botswan A Country With A Fairy Tale Success Story1643 Words   |  7 Pages The Republic of Botswana is a country with a fairy tale success story. 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