AIDS in Africa: Botswana battles against extinction

The Guardian ^ | July 8, 2002 | Liz McGregor

[Woodstock]

It is clear that when this virus is prevalent in the heterosexual communities, a nation's economy and social structure are most at risk. Something most interesting about the AIDS virus is that it mostly kills people of child bearing ages, or younger -- eventually having a huge impact on a country's population. The impact that AIDS can have on a national average life expectancy is noted in this article, "The average life expectancy has just fallen below 40 years for the first time since 1950." AIDS is a working form of population control. What affect this virus will ultimately play in world's population growth is yet to be seen.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

.

[gcruse]

. The high incidence among girls reflects what is known
as "inter-generational sex": older men sleep with girls
because they think they are less likely to be infected.

When you add in that most married men have girlfriends,
a major cause for the problem surfaces.  Additionally...

Due to sex talk being taboo, it is the one factor that has put young women most at risk. Lack of information on sex and sexuality, lack of awareness on reproductive and sexual rights, and bad peer pressure all arise because of the lack of transparency and information.

Add into this the male demand for dry sex, a phenomenon all its own, and you get some idea of how much work the government has ahead of it to stem this disaster.

[Woodstock]

you get some idea of how much work the government has ahead of it to stem this disaster.

Disaster is a good word. I am also trying to think a bit further. Nearly all studies of global population increases predicted disaster. From a *natural order* perspective (there is debate whether AIDS is natural) perhaps AIDS will serve a purpose by reducing the human population in great numbers?

[Nebullis]

My sense from reading recent literature is that HIV is increasingly resistant to existing drugs and trials for newer drugs are being met with difficulties.

Complaints about lifestyle choices etc. will be moot when the next devastating virus is airborne.

[gcruse]

If you liked the plague, you'll love AIDS.

[GailA]

The new muppet will solve the problem of educating the kidlets. NOT. Caller into our local Memphis radio is married to a South African woman and visits there often said that the black SA kids didn't watch the muppets. Only the white SA kids did.

Simple solution stop having unprotected sex and stop the IV drug use. DUH!

[spanky_mcfarland]

Where are the ususal brain dead posts saying that aids is a homosexual disease? They aren't missed...I am just surprised that why the voice of ignorance is absent from this thread.
Must be a NASCAR race or Billy Graham telethon on basic cable tonight.

[gcruse]

Well, Kevin Curry is over on the 650+ post thread "Can this Freeper Be Saved?". That eliminates a lot of hate posting.

[mcsparkie]

Can you post a photo (SEM) of the AIDS virus???

[Voyager2]

I find it atrocious that anyone could possibly suggest, let alone blame a drug company for the explosive increase in the number of those who test HIV positive, or die from aids.
For all those who see conspiracy behind every person who dies from aids, I'd suggest the world should bankrupt those companies by not supporting the widely known individual behavior which primarily accounts for the majority of those afflicted. And, to immediately start testing on a regular and scheduled basis, everyone for HIV and isolate those infected from the mainstream society. Much like was done with leprosy and other highly contagious diseases. In other
words, either get serious about containing this disease, or stop whining! And it has already been proven by the UN prevention programs, that their approach in not only inept, but criminal in their agenda to provide civil rights for this disease!
If anyone is serious about containing this disease, not only must everyone be tested, and those HIV+ isolated, but
anyone found providing HIV+ blood needs to be severely dealt with. All those found participating in known behavior which facilitates the spread of this disease should also be severely dealt with. Countries are totally ineffective in their efforts, should be quarantined by the world, and no country should allow either immigration from these countries, or provide travel visas. And while many may suggest these measures as extreme, well, they are. But when the UN suggest some 60 million people will die from aids in Africa, in addition to the 20 million already who've perished, if anyone really was concerned about saving human life, they'd do whatever is necessary to stop this disease!
Just like we did with polio, and other diseases that threaten society's existence.
Not make excuses about miscalculations, civil rights, or any other such nonsensical musings. Be aware, the latest figures projecting how many will die (60 million) came from the same U.N. scientific body that two years ago announced to the world the epidemic has been stemmed. This is the direct result of bad science, poor addition skills, and a political agenda which does not confront the eradication of aids. To continue to pursue such a fool hardy policy, throwing more money down an insatiable void, would only make those governments as irresponsible as the U.N. And just as criminal in their negligence!

[SauronOfMordor]

Complaints about lifestyle choices etc. will be moot when the next devastating virus is airborne.

Or is spread by mosquito, like West Nile or Malaria

[PoisedWoman]

older men sleep with girls because they think they are less likely to be infected.

Well, that's a nice way of putting it. They forgot to mention that many of those "girls" are under six years old and they were raped, sometimes gang raped.

[gonzo]

"...Where are the ususal brain dead posts saying that aids is a homosexual disease? They aren't missed...I am just surprised that why the voice of ignorance is absent from this thread. Must be a NASCAR race or Billy Graham telethon on basic cable tonight.

At least the Queers understand the disease-part!

Where is NASCAR running tomorrow? I was buying a fishing-boat - a 26' Sea-Ray, with twin I-Os! She's a sweetie, and with some TLC, she'll be humming in 30 days............

I'd guess that 'SHE' is not in 'Spankys' vocabulary..................FRegards

[Nebullis]

Or is spread by mosquito, like West Nile or Malaria

Right. Malaria kills about a million people each year. I was thinking of ebola as well.

[spanky_mcfarland]

Gonzo...Reported your abuse...a real 80 IQ move on your part! Here's a link to the CDC that shows some valuable aids info.

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats.htm

You appear to have trouble with reality and probably won't trouble yourself to look at these statistics so I'll summarize...

Cumulative aids (not just HIV)cases by age...6,928 under age 5, 2,066 aged 5-12, and 4,219 aged 13-19.

The thing that surprises me is that rocket scientists like you still claim that aids is a homo diesase...wake up to the reality of the problem!

By the way, I am a happily married straight man with a 5 year old son. Also, I've heard that the real hard core homophobes are generally closet homosexuals...coming out of the closet any time soon?

[gonzo]

"...rocket scientists like you still claim that aids is a homo diesase...wake up to the reality of the problem!..."

It's 'homo disease, ' spanky. Try to get it right!

If the sodomites would quit, well... sodomy, the disease would die-out in this country.

Lotsa luck with your abuse-crap, bunky, and I am a Rocket Scientist, amongst other things............FRegards

[gonzo]

*** Home Index | Search | Site Map | Subscribe | What's New Basic Statistics The following data are summarized from the CDC semiannual HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report. Numbers are based on AIDS cases reported to CDC through June 2001. For a more complete understanding of the current surveillance trends, you may download a PDF file of the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report or request a free copy of the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report by calling the CDC National Prevention Information Network at 1-800-458-5231. Cumulative AIDS Cases Cumulative Cases by Age Cumulative Cases by Race/Ethnicity Cases by Exposure Category Areas Reporting Most Cases International Statistics Cumulative AIDS Cases The cumulative number of AIDS cases reported to CDC is 793,026. Adult and adolescent AIDS cases total 784,032 with 649,186 cases in males and 134,845 cases in females. Through the same time period, 8,994 AIDS cases were reported in children under age 13. Total deaths of persons reported with AIDS are 457,667, including 452,111 adults and adolescents, and 5,168 children under age 15, and 388 persons whose age at death is unknown. Cumulative Cases by Age Of the total AIDS cases reported through June 2001, patients' ages at time of diagnosis were distributed as follows: Age # of Cumulative AIDS Cases Under 5: 6,928 Ages 5 to 12: 2,066 Ages 13 to 19: 4,219 Ages 20 to 24: 27,880 Ages 25 to 29: 103,085 Ages 30 to 34: 175,343 Ages 35 to 39: 177,759 Ages 40 to 44: 131,718 Ages 45 to 49: 77,152 Ages 50 to 54: 40,972 Ages 55 to 59: 22,423 Ages 60 to 64: 12,415 Ages 65 or older: 11,065 Cumulative Cases by Race/Ethnicity Race or ethnicity of persons reported with AIDS as of June 2001 was: Race or Ethnicity # of Cumulative AIDS Cases White, not Hispanic 337,035 Black, not Hispanic 301,784 Hispanic 145,220 Asian/Pacific Islander 5,922 American Indian/Alaska Native 2,433 Race/ethnicity unknown 632 Cases by Exposure Category Following is the distribution of reported AIDS cases among adults and adolescents by exposure category. A breakdown by sex is provided where appropriate. The categories and totals are: Exposure Category Male Female Total* Men who have sex with men 361,867 - 361,867 Injecting Drug Use 142,888 54,203 197,091 Men who have sex with men and inject drugs 50,066 - 50,066 Hemophilia/coagulation disorder 4,949 285 5,234 Heterosexual contact 30,956 54,782 85,738 Recipient of blood transfusion, blood components, or tissue 5,031 3,863 8,894 Risk not reported or identified 53,429 21,712 75,142 * Includes 3 persons whose sex is inknown.

Men who have sex with men 361,867 - 361,867

Naw, it's not a homo thing, dweeb!...........FRegards