Free Why We Should Support And Fund AIDS Awareness And Prevention In Africa More Than Genocide Prevention And Awareness Argumentative Essay Sample

Why We Should Support and Fund AIDS Awareness and Prevention in Africa More Than Genocide Prevention and Awareness

AIDS and genocide are two of the most alarming issues that confront the people of Africa. The mass murder in Rwanda that happened in 1994 took the lives of roughly 80,000 people-most of them were members of the Tutsi minority. (BBC, 2014) This is one of the most tragic genocide in the African history that lasted for 100 days- an event triggered by man’s greed for absolute power, ethnic superiority, religious conflicts and political rivalry. Unlike genocides that involve violence and cruelty in the killings, AIDS is a silent killer that has been killing Africans- infant, old and young adults, from the beginning of human history until the present era.
While genocide is an inhumane phenomenon that has been threatening the villages of the African region, its tragic memory have taught the government to collaborate with different international organizations and countries in order to prevent the event from happening again. In the case of AIDS, the tribes in Africa still lack a full understanding of how to prevent themselves from being infected. More so, some of them are not aware if they are infected or not. Others who know that they have the symptoms of AIDS are not aware that they should abandon their custom in order to save themselves. Thus, we need to support and fund AIDS awareness and prevention in Africa more than genocide prevention and awareness.
The steadily growing number of people in Africa who die of AIDS every year is a big reason why we need to support awareness and prevention programs. “In 2013, an estimated 1.5 million people in the region became newly infected. An estimated 1.1 million adults and children died of AIDS, accounting for 73% of the world’s AIDS deaths in 2013.” (Amfar, 2014) These 1.5 million patients could have been saved from being a helpless victim of the epidemic if there were adequate programs that will raise their awareness on how a person acquires the virus and prevent this from happening.
Another reason why we should fund AIDS awareness and prevention is because these programs will bring a positive impact in the African society. For instance, the country of Botswana that was once considered a paradise have turned into a lonely home for 40% of sexually active adults and 50% of pregnant women who are infected of HIV. “Two decades ago, virtually no one there was HIV-positiveBut the virus have rapidly spread because “Africans in ordinary heterosexual relationships are linked, not only to each other but also to the partners of their partners’ partners—and to the partners of those partners—via a web of sexual relationships extending across huge regions. (Epstein et al., 2004) Through sufficient awareness programs, Africans would be urged to quit the practice of simultaneous long-term sexual relationships. This is a positive social change that will not only reduce potential AIDS victims, but create a more decent and moral society.
Additionally, AIDS awareness and prevention programs are effective methods of reducing the current statistics. According to the World Health Organization, current programs only reach 15% of young women and 10% of young men in the sub-Saharan Africa.(Lazuta 2013) This means that the rest are not aware of their HIV status because of the lack of programs that could educate them. The World Health Organization needs more budget to launch programs that will reach everyone-especially those living in extremely remote areas.
These programs will also alter the moral ideals of the tribes and save them from being victims of the epidemic. “Many tribal leaders and traditional healers warn against the use of condoms -- as does the Catholic Church.” (Evers 2007) The African tradition ignores the need for safe and protected sex that makes every sexually active individual vulnerable to infection. It is a custom of African women that before having sex they would apply herbs, use cloths or powder to free their vaginas from moisture. This practice makes sex more exciting and pleasurable for men as it makes the vagina hot, dry and tight. “But so-called "dry sex" often leads to minor injuries to the mucous membrane, which facilitates HIV infection. AIDS educators are trying to encourage women abandon this custom, but with only limited success.” (Evers 2007) With enough programs, the tribes would be literate enough to realize that their tradition and superstitions makes them susceptible to AIDS.
Lastly, AIDS awareness and prevention are cost-effective programs that will save the African government, the World Health Organization and other non-profit organizations from spending too much for the medication and hospitalization of already infected persons. “The annual per capita cost of treating infected Africans, where much of the UN money goes, is around $1,100.” (The AIDS Pandemic 2010) The United Nations do not have to spend this amount if we have AIDS prevention programs that can successfully lessen the number of infected people.
The need for the public’s financial and moral support for AIDS awareness and prevention is important and immediate. More support would mean more programs that will educate the African people about the facts, practices and ways that would prevent, if not stop, the epidemic from spreading. These programs will treat their ignorance with awareness and force them to abandon their customs and tradition in order to avoid infection. Furthermore, the abandonment of their customs would create positive social change that will discourage the practice of simultaneous long-term relationships. Lastly, the success of these programs would mean less expenses as prevention is cheaper than the cost of treatment.

References

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Sankore, R. (2004) Why does genocide happen? Retrieved from http://www.pambazuka.net/en/category.php/features/21207/
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Unicef. (n.d.) HIV and AIDS Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/esaro/5482_HIV_AIDS.html
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Epstein, H., et al. (2004) Why is AIDS Worse in Africa? Discover Magazine. Retrieved from http://discovermagazine.com/2004/feb/why-aids-worse-in-africa
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Evers, M. (2010) Epidemic of Ignorance: The Difficult Struggle Against AIDS in Africa. Retrieved from http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/epidemic-of-ignorance-the-difficult-struggl e-against-aids-in-africa-a-485715.html