AIDS in Africa

Research Paper # 59988

Ethnic Studies > Africa
International Relations
Medical and Health > Public Health Issues

AIDS in Africa

This paper discusses the policy problems of fighting AIDS in Africa, highlighting the countries of Uganda and Senegal.

5,565 words () | 11 sources | MLA | 2001 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that efforts to roll back the AIDS epidemic in Africa simply have not kept pace with the epidemic itself; therefore, the "International Partnership against AIDS in Africa," made up of African governments, the United Nations, donors, and the private and community sectors, was organized to establish and maintain processes by which governments, civil society, and national and international organizations working against AIDS in Africa can work together more effectively to curtail the spread of HIV. The author details the successful Brazilian policy program, which manufactures generic AIDS medicines and distributes them for free to HIV infected patients, and reviews the possibility of adapting this program in Africa. The paper concludes that, to be successful in preventing HIV transmission, countries need to work simultaneously on many fronts, such as schools, health facilities, and the workplace, through media campaigns, and through outreach to sex workers.

Table of Contents
The Problem
The Structure of the UN's Present AIDS Program
The UN's Present AIDS Strategy in Africa
The Cure
Policy Background
Path Dependency (What Is Being Done Now)
Possible Problems for Implementation
Lesson Drawing
Lesson Variables
Uganda and AIDS
The Problem
Government Response
Implementation
Monitoring
Senegal
Government Response
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The policy of drug manufacture and distribution is actually a quick fix in the Brazilian community. For two decades, NGO's (Non-Governmental Organizations) in Brazil have lobbied the government to take part in reforming the healthcare system in Brazil. NGO's are activist groups, which are largely community based and receive funding and organization from a wide variety of sources. Some NGO's are formed from international sources and many remain autonomous and independent. According to a survey done by Nelson Solano in Sao Paulo conducted of some 87 of these NGO's, about 51 were held to be autonomous, 19 to be religious based and 11 linked to sexual emancipation groups. Information about funding in the survey was lacking, however, due to the NGO's lack of eagerness to revealing their sources. NGO's have led the social movement against AIDS in Brazil and are mainly responsible for much of the progress toward treatment and a cure for AIDS in Brazil."