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AIDS is robbing African countries of the opportunity to have an economy through the deaths of the very people essential to nurture economic growth and development.
Where AIDS is widespread, cultural norms and religious practices cannot cope. - President Mary McAleese , 2001 East Africa
In some rural communities, farming and crop production has fallen by 60%, so many farmers are dying.
The very essence of normal family life, of communities and even of institutions is being broken down by AIDS.
"AIDS related costs including those connected to absenteeism from work, insurance and the recruitment and retraining of replacement workers - are estimated to consume as much as one fifth of all profits.
People are dying at a rate more rapid then they can be replaced. The average Life expectancy in many countries in Africa will have fallen to 34 from 52 years. These countries include Botwana, Central African republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Swailand, Zambia and Zimbabwe – all these countries are severely affected by the AIDS pandemic. As a matter of interest the “black death” which ravished the general populous of Europe in the 13 Century took more than two centuries for the population levels to return to where they were pre the black death” How long more are we going to let this happen in Africa before we address the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. It will take much more then two centuries for the continent of Africa to get back on her feet… As Bishop Tutu said recently “wake up, wake up end the silence today” In the fight against AIDS, poor leadership is the real killer. National leaders waited too long to engage their countrymen in dialogue. Their greatest failure is communication. These leaders have failed their people.
AIDS has forebodings for the world - its economy, peace and security, trade, labour force, traditions and culture - for all of us.
AIDS is shattering cultures: AIDS is a new phenomenon not only for African but also for all cultures, even for humanity itself. It is a threat to all peoples: scientist, health experts and religious institutions, all battling and baffled with it. Where AIDS is widespread, cultural norms and religious practices cannot cope. Cultural life and traditions are being threatened, even shattered.
AIDS is leaving Health Clinics without Doctors & technicians: In Ethiopia, 12 doctors all from the same hospital died within the same year and 5 laboratory technicians in another. In Malawi and Zambia there has been a five to six-fold increase in illness and death rates [due to AIDS] in health workers. The effect: these limited specialist cannot be replaced, increased stress on those remaining who quickly become overworked in trying to support the 1000`s that turn up at the clinics each day.
AIDS is leaving Schools without Teachers:
In some countries, there is a tenfold increase in teacher mortality and absence to ill health due to AIDS, has reduced teaching time and quality. Ethiopia lost 527 graduate teachers in the Amhara Region in one year (1999). UNICEF estimates that 860,000 children in Africa have already lost a teacher to HIV/AIDS. It will take many years for replacements to come through the system, if they survive of course.
AIDS is leaving Fields without Farmers:
8 out of 10 farmers are women and their diversion from the productive sector leads to depriviation of the whole family, affecting the very basic food security Women and children are overburdened in coping with prolonged daily care of the dying and in providing for their families. Family incomes are drying up-what they do have is being spent on basic medicines for their sick family. The pandemic has left them too sick and to weak to farm thus increasing the level of poverty. Family monthly disposable income fell by more than 80% in Zambia, where the father died of AIDS and in Botswana overall household income fell by 10% during the year 2000. 75% of the Sub Saharan Africa is surviving on less than $2/day.
AIDS is leaving children orphan: The deep-rooted kinship system that have long proved resilient even to major social changes where extended family networks of aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents, would provide a safety net for children is being unraveled by AIDS. There are 13 million orphans in Africa.
AIDS is leaving Children to head up the household: Children are now the carers of ill parents, sisters or brothers, aunts, neighbours, as well as protectors of younger siblings. Children are abandoning their education to become the bread winner to support their family. Poverty deepens and displays itself in lack of food on the family table, clothing, housing and basic amenities. Survival means selling off household items, their parents clothes, and in many cases selling themselves into prostitution and slavery.
AIDS is affecting" the marginalized people of our world, the millions whose talents and energies are ground down daily by the relentless forces of poverty, disease and hunger…and we are cursed with so much waste…. while around us the squandering of so much human life.. "
- President Mary McAleese , 2001 East Africa.
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