What has the power to destroy a people more effectively than a gun?
Disease.
Among Africa’s people is one of the most deadly of diseases
The HIV/AIDS virus.
Between 1999 and 2000, more people have died from AIDS than the wars occurring on the continent. At the beginning of 2000, 24 million were infected with the virus, and nearly all who were infected will die before the year 2010. Everyday, 6,000 people will die, and 11,000 will be infected. 2/3 of HIV cases and 80% of HIV related deaths are in Sub Saharan Africa. In addition to the devastation of the HIV virus, Tuberculosis is another rising epidemic. TB is a bacterium that becomes active when a person has a weak immune system due to advancing age or medical conditions like HIV.
If a person is infected with HIV, they are more vulnerable to the TB virus which can be deadly for them.
TB is airborne and spreads like a common cold. 1 in 3 people are infected worldwide with the dormant Mycobacterium TB which is the Tuberculosis bacterium.
Patients have a type of TB that is either resistant to drugs or not resistant. “First line’ drugs isoniazid and rifampin are most effective to non resistant cases of TB, curing more than 95% of all patients.
Treatment for multidrug resistant TB(MDRTB) requires not only a longer period of doses, but is less effective. It is not easily tolerated by patients and unfortunately costs more.
Countries with a high concentration of TB cases find it hard to treat MDRTB patients due to lack of money to buy the drugs and the extensive laboratory services.
Places like Africa are suffering from diseases that are wiping out millions of people a year. With corrupt governments who extort money into their own pockets, it’s as if the people of Africa will never have a chance for legitimate help. President Thobo Mbeki of South Africa actually denied that AIDS came from the HIV virus, totally neglecting the epidemic. Add the debts of previous dictators, to the denial that there is a problem, how could Africa ever find the money to treat its people?
Disease.
Among Africa’s people is one of the most deadly of diseases
The HIV/AIDS virus.
Between 1999 and 2000, more people have died from AIDS than the wars occurring on the continent. At the beginning of 2000, 24 million were infected with the virus, and nearly all who were infected will die before the year 2010. Everyday, 6,000 people will die, and 11,000 will be infected. 2/3 of HIV cases and 80% of HIV related deaths are in Sub Saharan Africa. In addition to the devastation of the HIV virus, Tuberculosis is another rising epidemic. TB is a bacterium that becomes active when a person has a weak immune system due to advancing age or medical conditions like HIV.
If a person is infected with HIV, they are more vulnerable to the TB virus which can be deadly for them.
TB is airborne and spreads like a common cold. 1 in 3 people are infected worldwide with the dormant Mycobacterium TB which is the Tuberculosis bacterium.
Patients have a type of TB that is either resistant to drugs or not resistant. “First line’ drugs isoniazid and rifampin are most effective to non resistant cases of TB, curing more than 95% of all patients.
Treatment for multidrug resistant TB(MDRTB) requires not only a longer period of doses, but is less effective. It is not easily tolerated by patients and unfortunately costs more.
Countries with a high concentration of TB cases find it hard to treat MDRTB patients due to lack of money to buy the drugs and the extensive laboratory services.
Places like Africa are suffering from diseases that are wiping out millions of people a year. With corrupt governments who extort money into their own pockets, it’s as if the people of Africa will never have a chance for legitimate help. President Thobo Mbeki of South Africa actually denied that AIDS came from the HIV virus, totally neglecting the epidemic. Add the debts of previous dictators, to the denial that there is a problem, how could Africa ever find the money to treat its people?
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