Economic+Impact+-+AIDS+-+F08+-+1

=Economic Impact of AIDS   = AIDS has had the tendency to strike people during the years they are most productive. The major areas in the economy AIDS directly affects is the reduction of people in the work force and increased costs. The loss of workers especially the majority that are in their most productive years will obviously affect a company's output. The impact is put on an even greater scale because of the tendency of the most elite workers to develop the virus. Major costs include health care, drugs and since AIDS is basically one hundred percent fatal funeral costs are inevitable. .  The company of the lost worker or workers is then left with costs for recruitment and training of the replacement employee. This causes the labor expense to go up and profits to diminish which makes it an unattractive situation for outside industries to get involved with. AIDS certainly has a role in disrupting the further progression of the African economy. AIDS has put already struggling countries and economies further in the hole and stronger economies have also taken a hit from the epidemic. AIDS also hits on a smaller scale within house holds. The family suffers a loss of income when the person becomes ill. Expenses for medical care tend to increase which puts even more of a strain on the loss of income. If it is the man who has become sick it usually means the women have to stay home and care for the husband and could also keep the daughters home from school to aid their mother. Once again AIDS is pretty much one hundred percent fatal which will result as a permanent loss of income and funeral expenses. The children will most likely be taken out of school to cut costs which can put the future of that child in jeopardy of being able to make decent living in the future. AIDS certainly acts as a parasite to the surrounding economy.

Sources 1) www.avert.com/africa 2)www.policyproject.com/pubs/SEImpact/southafr.pdf