Swaziland HIV Rate Approaching 40%

[Coot]

I found this story (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=570&ncid=753&e=5&u=/nm/20030102/sc_nm/aids_swaziland_dc) in my email this morning, and it is just mindnumbing.
He acknowledged that AIDS deaths have cut the agricultural workforce, worsening a food crisis brought on by crop failures last year. Dlamini said starvation was occurring in parts of the country, something the government has not said before.

Swaziland's population prior to the onset of AIDS was projected to be 1.2 million in 2000. The population today is about 970,000, with 20,000 HIV-positive Swazis developing full-blown AIDS annually.

[ditch]

I thought 30% in South Africa and other parts of the continent was bad enough. Amazing.

Have you read Bob Astles posts about Kenyan officials selling anti Aids drugs supplied to them cheaply by the drug compaies back to Europe on the black market? It the infection rate is 40% now theres nothing to stop it hitting a higher level with that sort of activity going on. Africa just being itself.

:(

[Coot]

I did read Bob's post ( I read all of them ). That's what makes this all the more criminal. Sub-Saharan Africa is being decimated and the reason for it isn't just the sordid acts of the western governments...the people and the culture have a lot to do with it as well.

[Sierra Mike]

Good Lord!

But again--the basic question: what can be done about it? As in, what can a foreign country do about it?

SM

[Biker]

Making sure escape route is clear -----------------

Hypothetical question here. But there's always been this thought that maybe this is nature's way of restoring the balance in the world? We complain about global warming and pollution, yet population explosion can be attributed to all that. Decrease the population and the rest follows as well?

[ethics]

Originally posted by Biker
Making sure escape route is clear -----------------

Hypothetical question here. But there's always been this thought that maybe this is nature's way of restoring the balance in the world? We complain about global warming and pollution, yet population explosion can be attributed to all that. Decrease the population and the rest follows as well?


Took the words out of my mouth. My understanding of Africa is that little can be done.

[ditch]

Originally posted by ethics
Took the words out of my mouth. My understanding of Africa is that little can be done.

Many have tried to help, many have failed.

[Coriolis]

Thanks for the article Coot. I showed this to my wife and she cried. She spent 6 months in Swaziland (in Mbabane) teaching elementary and junior high school -- this was back in 1995. The Swazi population did not talk openly about Aids... par for the course in Africa, sadly. But she got to know lots of people, and of course there's more than a good chance -- from the statistics in the article -- that many of them are afflicted. No doubt all are affected. Very sad indeed.

[ethics]

Cor,

I know this is an emotional topic for your wife, but can you ask her if she saw this back in 1995? In other words, was this widely known?

[Coriolis]

It was known to a certain degree, but it was not talked about... her room mates (she was there as part of a cultural exchange program, and roomed with 3 other African-born teachers) were rather open about it (eventually), but in general, the Swazi population appear to be no different than Africa as a whole -- the topic is taboo.

But she certainly was not aware the problem was so massive in Swaziland, however. Hence her profound dismay when reading the article. Her main concern was for the children she taught and how most of them will probably be orphaned.

[ethics]

Originally posted by Coriolis

But she certainly was not aware the problem was so massive in Swaziland, however. Hence her profound dismay when reading the article. Her main concern was for the children she taught and how most of them will probably be orphaned.

Thank you for the answer.

I figured it would not be any different than the rest of Africa but had some glimmer of hope. Not that it would have done anything for the people.

And I hate to say it but I fear that more than orphanage will be taken place.

[jfcjrus]

Even I feel this post may be somewhat inappropriate for the context of this thread, but here goes:

THIS is why I frequent this site.
I learn stuff here that I just don't seem to run across anywhere else. From folks that know what they're talking about. From folks that have been there. From folks that ARE there.

I read the paper every morning.
And, I had no idea. Or, it truly hadn't sunk in;
'Swaziland HIV Rate Approaching 40%'!!
Damn!
So, shortly, we may read that 1/2 the population is doomed from this disease?
And, their government is selling back the drugs, that might help the people, to the black market?
What the hell are these leaders THINKING?
So sad.

So, apparently, hopeless.
Usually, I'm not one for us sticking our nose into any other soverign countrys business; but, in this case, I'd truly look the other way if we comissioned a bunch of Steve's buddys to go in and make sure the 'people' got the intended help.

Adults make their own plight in life. But, the kids deserve better.

Again, I apologize for this OT post, as I guess it's nothing more than a rant. It's just that I've seen how some of the world's children live.

Regards,

[mikepd]

jfcjrus, I do not think your post is OT at all. As a matter of fact, this is why I park myself here. All the time. To learn, from people who can teach, even when some protest that they can't.

The 'leaders' (I want to use another word) think only of themselves not the people they are responsible for. The people are powerless to do anything about their fate, I back your idea 100%. The children of this world are the planet's future. Time for the UN to get real and be absolutely ruthless with these warlords and their ilk. The developed nations of the world have to come up with a workable plan for bringing the under-developed nations like Swaziland to at least a survivable level . Otherwise, there will be ripples of the impending doom that will effect everyone.