HIV: The Fatal Epidemic

A concern that is constantly plaguing South Africa’s economical and social status is the HIV virus. Presently, over 4 million citizens are infected, and of those it takes the lives of about 250,000. This means that one out of every ten citizens is likely to have the virus and one out of every sixteen people with the virus is likely to die every year. Voters feel that the responsibility should be handed to the country’s government, since the depopulation caused by the aids virus is causing economic downfall. There is a population growth of .26% allowing for very little expansion and technological progress as it is. Nonetheless, the life expectancy for the entire population is about 48.09 years.

Currently the high court is working towards requiring the government to fund medical facilities to administer the drug called Nevirapine, to pregnant women, so as to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The main issue is whether the respondent is required to provide the administration of Nevirapine or a substitute drug, or whether they should be given a timeframe to develop a program based on further research. South Africans are demanding changes at an increasing rate and the government is becoming more and more conscious of their demands. If the HIV virus continues to spread, especially through mother-to-child transmission, the rate of growth will soon turn into growth decline. This would further the decline of technological advance and create an economic imbalance. Citizens and doctors argue that the sooner the epidemic is slowed down, the sooner population growth can increase to boost the economy. Voters continue to argue that a life expectancy of 48 years is far too low and is mainly the impact of the HIV plague. And throughout the debate, a cure is raising the interests of other countries including the United States. The HIV virus has been known to originate in the Africa continent and has since mildly spread the disease worldwide. Various countries are beginning to support a new program and there has been talk of financial support as well.

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