HIV And AIDS In South Africa

The aim of this literature review is to discuss HIV and AIDS in South Africa. HIV and AIDS has been a prominent health concern in the southern part of Africa. This essay will explain how HIV & AIDS can be contracted and transmitted, the effect it has on the victims, the impact it has on the economy, why the rates of HIV and AIDS are rapidly increasing in South Africa, how it can be reduced, then followed by a conclusion that will summarise this entire review.

HIV and AIDS has been termed a sexually transmitted disease (STD) in South Africa, because it is mainly transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse; but then HIV and AIDS can also be transmitted through circumstances where they was no control such as, blood transfusions, sharp objects e.g. razor blades, needles, injections and in some cases it is transmitted at birth if the mother is not on medication during pregnancy (positives women’s network, 2012). Moreover one cannot contract HIV and AIDS through kisses, handshakes, hugs etc. It can only be contracted through any form of blood exchange with an HIV patient.

One major impact HIV and AIDS has on the South African economy is by reducing labour supply through the increased illness and mortality rates (Avert, 2014). This means that illness has a direct impact workforce and most productive years of the person’s life. This has led to a large number of unemployed people and raising the rates of poverty due to the fact that these people cannot work they find it hard to feed sometimes, pay for proper health care or take care of their families. Because there is reduction in labour supply there is also a reduction in the production of the country which means a reduction in exports and an...

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...AIDS patients need to be shown love and care, this may prolong their health. They need to be understood because they tend to get moody and have high tempers. Most of the patients develop a low self esteem and become less confident as they were before. Sometimes their society looks down on them and this stigmatizes them. They lose their jobs, family and friends in fear of contagion.

To reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS the South African government needs to educate the young ones in school so they can have an eye opener about this chronic illness and its effects. HIV negative people need to be educated too, in order to create an environment free of fear of HIV biased social attitudes and no stereotypes towards HIV (Visser p. 2007). Schools should offer more sex education to students so they can be educated on the implications of unprotected sex.