Deanna+M.+-+ASI+-+FA09

** AIDS in Africa: **  -2 Focus Countries: ** Nigeria & South Africa **  NIGERIA: **History :** -In 1851, British added Lagos to their land, taking it from the Fulani empire. By 1886, they expanded and took control of the rest of the region. In 1914, it became an actual colony. -In 1960, Nigeria gained independence and joined the Commonwealth of nations. But, the nation was filled with over 250 ethnic and linguistic groups (Nigeria), and will be very hard to unify. Rioting broke out in 1966, because of ethnic differences. One ethnic group, the Ibos, seperated from Nigeria to create their own republic and became independent. The country broke out in civil war that lasted almost three years, up until 1970. -During the 1970's oil took off and Nigeria's economy boomed. By 1997, they were the 13th poorest nation. -Nigeria has been corrupted with military rule since independence, and in 1999 began to transitioin to a democracy. Nigeria was the first country in its region to declare HIV cases. The government was slow in responding to the problem and once it was assessed they found transmission rates had majorly risen. HIV has mainly spread through sexual relations. Unlike some states, an additional reason is blood transfusions. There is a great need for transfusions and medical hospitals lack the equipment for blood screenings. Mother-to-child is a partial spreader of HIV.
 * Bill and Melinda Gates
 * Recently helped Nigeria
 * In November of 2000, Bill and Melinda Gates donated $25 million to the Harvard School of Public Health. It was to be used to create AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN). APIN's goal is to reduce the rate of growth of Nigeria's HIV epidemic.
 * President Olusegun Obasanjo
 * Helped tackle HIV while in office
 * In 1999, Obasanjo decided to make the HIV epidemic a national issue. He created the National Action Committee on AIDS. They have collected over $4 million from around the world.
 * In 2006, Obasanjo publicly recieved an HIV test to promote that service.

Political Effects T he AIDS epidemic has hurt the country, especially because the government was slow to confront the issue. The government is now beginning to pay more attention to the problem, now that they are more of a democracy. They are trying to find plans for prevention of the spread of HIV. But, that will call for more money and aid from foreign countries; which could lead to problems with other countries.  Social Effects: T here is lack of education for the risk of HIV, which is spreading the virus. As in many countries, HIV makes individuals unable to work, decreases production, and hurts the development of families. With the lack of finances or members of family dying, it will impact the success of the child and the opportunities they find (The Impact).  Economic Effects: Even though Nigeria is ranked 12th in the world for its oil production, it is very full of poverty. They are in a very bad economic position. Problems from AIDS have caused an issue to the economy and dealing with AIDS is going to be a challenge to the economy. It hasn't altered relations with other countries, but it does impact the amount traded with foreign countries.  Works Cited: 
 * "AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria." __AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria__. 25 Sep. 2009 []
 * ."HIV & AIDS in Nigeria." __AIDS & HIV information from the AIDS charity AVERT__. 24 Sep. 2009 []. *Primary
 * Lyons, Miriam. "The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Children, Families and Communities." __UNDP | United Nations Development Programme__. 25 Sep. 2009 [].
 * "National Intelligence Council: The Next Wave of HIV/AIDS." __Federation of American Scientists__. 25 Sep. 2009 [].
 * "Nigeria: History, Geography, Government, and Culture — Infoplease.com." __Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. — Infoplease.com__. 24 Sep. 2009 [].

SOUTH AFRICA: ** History: ** -The Dutch were the first to set up a permanent settlement. In 1652, the VOC (the Dutch East India Company), came to set up a base for sailors, for shelter and supplies. The settlement was known as Cape Town. Once they started to encounter problems with shortage of supplies, the VOC allowed some Dutch settlers to farm on their own, called Berghers. Regular settlers were known as Boers. Around the same time the Dutch were importing slaves. Settlers and slaves started to expand, thus driving the neighboring tribe the Khoisan from their land. Fighting with the Khoisan over land continued into the 19th century. -In 1815 the British took possession of South Africa. A large amount of settlers came to South Africa. With a change in government and freeing of slaves, Boers started the "great trek" northeast to tribal territory in 1933. They started their own republics within South Africa. -When minerals started attracting people from around the world to the republics, South Africa's prime minister created a plan to join them on to the colony. The union was only achieved by force, making the country break out in war between the two republics and the two British colonies. It is called the Boers War. It began in 1899 and lasted three years. The Boers stopped resisting after they realized all the negative effects of the war, such as the destruction of their land and cruelty to women and children. They joined the British colonies in 1902. -Apartheid became the major issue in 1910 and for eighty years until 1990. Europe led South Africa through much war, and didn't do much for helping South Africa. They helped them develop agriculture and set traditional culture. Africa gained independence and because of their leadership an AIDS epidemic started. Rape of women is primarily the reason for the drastic spread of AIDS. Another way was the virus being passed from the mother to the child.
 * <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Thabo Mbeke: ANC (African National Congress) leader.
 * <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Mbeke worsened the AIDS epidemic, as he led South Africa on about the disease and did not help prevent it.

<span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">** Political Impact: ** AIDS has hurt the country of South Africa. Politics have helped in worsening the AIDS epidemic and has also caused a split in beliefs. Some leaders did nothing to help the solution. It hurts the goverments even more today, as they have to spend much money on health care and looking for a solution. The issue has made it an important opinion in deciding political leaders though. **Social Impact:** AIDS has had a large impact on the social aspects of South Africa. Violence against women is a key reason for the spread of AIDS. Studies have found there's a good chance that a man who commits rape has HIV. Another instance, the number of children living with AIDS has almost doubled in the past two years. It affects the parents of families too, since they are a main source for the spread. The loss of family members, not only causes many emotions, but it sets the family in a rough spot financially. They lose an able hand and in some cases the main provider for their family. There are 1.4 AIDS orphans in South America (HIV and AIDS in SA). Many orphans are placed in care of elderly family. It causes severe strains in families, especially if siblings get seperated, they are placed with older family, or have to move. AIDS has slowed business in South Africa. With the mortality rate rising, there is less ability to perform jobs. The lack of finances due to symptoms of AIDS makes bad conditions for many people. Lack of workers creates smaller amounts of products and availability of resources. The effects of AIDS is causing South Africa to develop slower. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">__hiv_aids_on_south_africa_and_implications_for._governanc__ <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">**FUTURE OF AIDS:**
 * <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">On June 2, 1999 Mbeke became South Africa's second president. He had a controversial point of view on AIDS. Mbeke denied the link from HIV to AIDS, proclaiming that Westerners exaggerate it for the drug money. He was leader of the ANC for ten years, and was reelected to presidency.
 * <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Kgalema Motlanthe: the makeshift president.
 * <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Motlanthe picked up the slack from Mbeke and helped try and take on the AIDS epidemic.
 * <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">On Sept. 25, 2008 Motlanthe became the president due to an argument over the presidency. VP under Mbeke, Jacob Zuma became leader of ANC, and tried to run for presidency. He was brought up on charges, possibly brought up by Mbeke. Zuma has to wait until he is in Parliament to run for presidency, which didn't happen until 2009.
 * <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Motlanthe had different views from Mbeke. He wanted to use modern and more effective methods against the AIDS epidemic, such as the use of antiretroviral medicines. He also replaced the health minister, whose treatment for AIDS was lemon juice, garlic, and beetroot.
 * Economic Impact: **
 * <span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Works Cited: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">"The Great Trek - South Africa History." __South Africa - Online Travel Guide with Accommodation, Hotel Directory, Carhire, Tours__. 24 Sep. 2009 [].
 * <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">"HIV & AIDS in South Africa." __AIDS & HIV information from the AIDS charity AVERT__. 23 Sep. 2009. 24 Sep. 2009 [].
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Kelly, Kevin, Warren Parker, and Stephen Gelb. "The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies." __The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies__. 24 Sep. 2009 []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">"South Africa: History, Geography<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">, Government, and Culture — Infoplease.com." __Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. — Infoplease.com__. 24 Sep. 2009 []. *Primary Source
 * 1) <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">The people of Nigeria and South Africa need to be better educated. In South Africa, if they were tought modern gender equality very young, the spread of HIV could be limited. In Nigeria, if they better educate about AIDS and how to stop it, it could play a massive difference in the growth of the virus. Both countries need to be taught how to prevent it and why it's important to prevent it. At a young age it will be a lot easier to influence the children to try and prevent HIV.
 * 2) <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">The governments are both recieving foreign aid and need to set aside a large sum of it to go into the research of preventing HIV and to opening good medical practices. The money does not seem to be helping the countries grow out of poverty and if the government is starting to be run by the people, then some money should be used to ensure their lives. The more access to a __good__ medical practice or treatment center, there would be a lot more effort to prevent the spread of HIV. It would also help with the mortality rate if people can easily access treatment or antivirals.
 * 3) <span style="color: #404040; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">Tuberculosis has been tied to AIDS in both countries; both as a result of it, or possibly a factor. There is a higher risk for HIV in those that have TB, than those who don't. The government should look for sources that keep helping the epidemic grow and find a solution to stop them.