Why Do So Many Africans Get AIDS?

DISCOVER ^ | June 2003 | by Josie Glausiusz

[JZoback]

Every major campaign against AIDS in Africa has been based on the premise that heterosexual sex accounts for 90 percent of transmission in adults. Yet safe-sex efforts have not stopped the spread of the epidemic, which now affects 30 million people. Economic anthropologist David Gisselquist therefore suspected that HIV might be spreading primarily by another route. After analyzing 20 years of epidemiological studies, he and his colleagues concluded that unsafe injections, blood transfusions, and other medical procedures may account for most AIDS transmission in African adults. Their analysis indicates that no more than 35 percent of HIV in that population is spread through sex.

Gisselquist's interest in AIDS was stimulated by the guidance he received while traveling through Africa as a World Bank consultant. "They give you a syringe and say, 'Carry this with you, and avoid all the health care that you can.' We've been paying for third-world health care while advising ourselves to avoid it," he says. When he examined hundreds of papers on AIDS in Africa, he found evidence to back up those concerns. A study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, found that 39 percent of HIV-positive, vaccinated infants had uninfected mothers. In contrast, Gisselquist could not uncover any clear data proving that sexual intercourse dominates the spread of African AIDS. In Zimbabwe, HIV incidence rose by 12 percent per year during the 1990s, even as sexually transmitted diseases sank by 25 percent overall and condom use rose among high-risk groups. Gisselquist recently reported his findings in four papers published in the International Journal of STD & AIDS.

Medical researchers may have overemphasized sexual transmission of African AIDS in part because condom-use campaigns dovetail with their concerns about overpopulation, Gisselquist says. They also fear that people in Africa will lose faith in modern health care. Gisselquist urges new efforts to halt the spread of AIDS: "Aid programs need to push infection control in health care. And we need to give the public the advice and the tools for protecting themselves in medical situations," such as new syringes and single-dose vials.

[JZoback]

Bono can suck eggs.

[Carry_Okie]

When he examined hundreds of papers on AIDS in Africa, he found evidence to back up those concerns. A study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, found that 39 percent of HIV-positive, vaccinated infants had uninfected mothers.

DDT all over again.

[JZoback]

bump

[George W. Bush]

The article makes a good point.

While AIDS numbers are vastly inflated to draw funding from the First World, it's certainly true that they re-use needles over and over and over. This is true throughout much of the Third World. Astonishing that they are taking such stock in using condoms but don't look at the far greater danger of using the same needles on patient after patient in their clinics.

[Semper Paratus]

Hetersexual anal intercourse is very popular in sub-tropical Africa as a birth control method.

[LibKill]

Promiscuity.

When African men learn to be chaste, the plauge will abate.

[A. Pole]

Why Do So Many Africans Get AIDS?

Because they get money from the West if they are diagnosed with AIDS. Trivial pneumonia or malnutrition does not work.

See http://www.duesberg.com/subject/africa.html

[tractorman]

If the real truth were known, liberals all over the world would be out of business.

[Mr. K]

This is what I have been saying in this forum for 5 years.

AIDS in Africa is primarily transmitted through used needles. The AIDS pimps who want more funding and research know this, but do not say so, so they are letting people die so they can be politically correct.

Clean Needles, and stop unsafe sex practicves, and you will eliminate AIDS in one generation. No further billions are needed. Only some advertising money and clean needles for places like Africa.

[T'wit]

Many vaccines are made with blood products. They are very susceptible to the blood-borne viruses such as Hepatitis C and AIDS. The statement you quote is explained by contaminated vaccines.

[DeFault User]

Does anybody remember glass hypodermic syringes with separate steel needles? Both could be boiled and used repeatedly. (I recall because my nurse/mother administered them to our backsides over the years.)

[rebel85]

to liberals, the cause is always more important than the individual!!!

[Carry_Okie]

The statement you quote is explained by contaminated vaccines.

Any guess on the mechanics?

[lelio]

Another thing to consider is that Africians might have a false sense of security when taking AIDS drugs, such as it prevents them from getting infected or that they can't transmit it to anyone. Or they stop taking the drugs and sell them on the side.
Also these various programs have all the earmarks of another Oil for Food program. How far do you have to dig to find France and Germany's fingerprints?

[A. Pole]

Why Do So Many Africans Get AIDS?

Because they get money from the West if they are diagnosed with AIDS. Trivial pneumonia or malnutrition does not work.

AFRICA

• Peter Duesberg- 'The African AIDS Epidemic'
• Peter Duesberg- 'Drug Holidays- Or why even the HIV/AIDS Orthodoxy Isn't all bad'
• Tom Belth- 'Mbeki Takes On The AIDS Industry'
• Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos and Valendar Turner, 'AIDS in Africa?'
  
• Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos et al., 'AIDS in Africa: Distinguishing fact and fiction'
  
• Meditel Productions, 'AIDS and Africa'
  
• Neville Hodgkinson, 'Babies give lie to African AIDS'
  
• Neville Hodgkinson, 'African AIDS; true or false?'
  
• Neville Hodgkinson, 'The plague that never was'
  
• Neville Hodgkinson, 'Research disputes epidemic of AIDS'
  
• Charles Geshekter, 'Myths of AIDS and Sex'

[Eaker]

Their analysis indicates that no more than 35 percent of HIV in that population is spread through sex.

I stopped reading right here. Spreading condoms in Africa has the same effect as spreading them in a rabbit cage. They take the condoms because they are "free". They would line up for anything that is "free". Just because they accepted the "free" condoms does NOT mean that they use them.

The people that should get the blank check are the ones infected by tainted blood transfusions, etc. Not the ones that will boink without a care. I don't have the stats in hand, but I read one that stated that 1 in 4 in Africa have aids; sex there is Russian roulette with a semi-auto.

Eaker

[Carry_Okie]

I would think that Becton Dickinson could handle that without too much difficulty. Maybe it's time to reopen that plant they shut down in Sandy, Utah when they moved the syringe operation to Singapore (R&D) and China. I'd like to see some of that $15 billion stay right here.

[angkor]

When African men learn to be chaste, the plauge will abate.

You think its the men who need to be chaste?

That's quite the opposite of what I've heard from expatriate acquaintances with long service in Africa.

Also I believe there's a great deal more buggery than is admitted in the surveys.

[MissAmericanPie]

It would seem that the African continent is being purged of it's present population for future development by Africans themselves, via genocide, and elements using unhealthy medical practices funded by the U.N. and other organizations.

[FITZ]

AIDS in Africa is primarily transmitted through used needles.

It's common in some countries to save money by reusing needles or just wipe them off with alcohol in between patients. Plus many dental clinics don't sterilize intruments between patients.