The AIDS epidemic is Africa is out of control, plain and simple. Over 15 million Africans, close to the combined populations of the cities of New York and London, have died from AIDS. Over 42 million, worldwide, are living with HIV/AIDS, and 74 percent of these infected people live in sub-Saharan Africa where the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is located. See the attached map showing the countries located in this region.
The presence of AIDS has caused the life expectancy of Africans to drop from 60 years old to 40 years old. An estimated 15 million children worldwide have been orphaned from AIDS. 12 million of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa. In a country where survival is already a struggle for the healthy, orphans lead an especially difficult life. In addition, another 9% of the children in this region have already lost at least one parent to AIDS. In a family where one parent has died from this disease, the possibility of the other parent being infected is generally high since it is transmitted by sex. Children who are infected are usually infected at birth. This often means the child’s mother will not survive long enough to take care of the child without proper medication. In the DRC, 2.6 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and in 2005, an estimated 680,000 children were orphaned due to AIDS.
Anti Retro Viral drugs, often referred to as ARVs, can actually increase life expectancy anywhere from 6-24 years. However, the drugs are not available due to high cost. It is estimated by UNICEF that only 20% of people who need ARVs get them, with only 5% of those being children and 10% females. It’s now up to pharmaceutical companies to make the ARVs in generic form so people and children in Africa may have a chance at life until something can be done to prevent or cure AIDS.
The presence of AIDS has caused the life expectancy of Africans to drop from 60 years old to 40 years old. An estimated 15 million children worldwide have been orphaned from AIDS. 12 million of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa. In a country where survival is already a struggle for the healthy, orphans lead an especially difficult life. In addition, another 9% of the children in this region have already lost at least one parent to AIDS. In a family where one parent has died from this disease, the possibility of the other parent being infected is generally high since it is transmitted by sex. Children who are infected are usually infected at birth. This often means the child’s mother will not survive long enough to take care of the child without proper medication. In the DRC, 2.6 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and in 2005, an estimated 680,000 children were orphaned due to AIDS.
Anti Retro Viral drugs, often referred to as ARVs, can actually increase life expectancy anywhere from 6-24 years. However, the drugs are not available due to high cost. It is estimated by UNICEF that only 20% of people who need ARVs get them, with only 5% of those being children and 10% females. It’s now up to pharmaceutical companies to make the ARVs in generic form so people and children in Africa may have a chance at life until something can be done to prevent or cure AIDS.
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