Economic+Impact+-+AIDS+-+F08+-+4


 * Economic Impact**

The HIV/AIDS virus affects many parts of the economic system in Africa. The virus destroys the "economic engine room" in many African societies. Many of these professions include teachers, professors, doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers, etc. With not a lot of teachers teaching in public schools, many adolescents usually drop out. Most have too because they have to work at home and take care of their family if a family member has AIDS. Schooling is a big part of the economic system because it educates people to become successful in life and to train them for the work force. With the dropout rate if Africa, many jobs are not filled and sometimes are scarce. Thus, the economic system is affected because the people that do have jobs, want more money for it and some businesses are closing.

Another area in economy that is affected is the Healthcare system. Little or no African country can afford the $11,000 up to $15,000 cost of the "cocktail therapy." Many families can not afford this money because a lot of African people live in poverty. Many Healthcare facilities will not pay for the costs thus, leaving the innocent families to take care of their own. The Sub-Saharan region in Africa is the most affected in the whole world. Statistics show that there was an estimated 22 million living with AIDS/HIV at the end of 2007. About 50% of people with AIDS occupy many hospital beds. The healthcare system is getting hit hard with the number of cases of AIDS/HIV positive Africans.

//Area's of the Sub-Sahara. They are in green.//

Many other sectors of the economy are also affected. Some include education, industry, agriculture, transport, and human resources. With more adults dieing from AIDS/HIV, many industries are very hurt by that impact because adults usually work in the factories. With less and less of workers, the industry could crumble by the loss of money because they rely on the people to do the work. Transporting is also affected greatly. Many families need money and girls sometimes resort to prostitution. If the girl has AIDS, and a trucker picks her up he would get the virus. Many mine workers also have AIDS and many countries depend on Africa's mining industry.

//A miner in Africa.//

Many young adults usually have to cope with death very early in their life. Instead of going to school, the children have to stay home and work the fields and care for the AIDS/HIV infected individual in their family. Many adults from 21-40 die from AIDS/HIV and sometimes that child will have no where to go and have to deal with life on his/her own. Without the children and adolescents in school where they should be, there are more jobs available to only the people that are educated. Many of these children only know how to cook a basic meal or plant crops in the fields. Thus, they are not suited to have a nice paying job or even a job at all because of the AIDS/HIV factor. Many businesses and industries have to close because of it.

The economic system in Africa is highly affected by AIDS. If no one had AIDS there, many people would be living out of poverty and possibly be technologically advanced like the United States. AIDS is a huge factor to the economy in Africa.

__**Works Cited**__ Akukwe, Chinua. __Africa Economic Analysis__. 23 Jan. 2008. 22 Sept. 2008 http://www.africaeconomicanalysis.org/articles/gen/aidshtm.html.

Kanabus, Annabel and Jenni Fredriksson. __HIV and AIDS in Africa__. Ed. Graham Pembrey. n.d. 20 July 2008 http://avert.org/aafrica.htm.

Wehrwein, Peter. __Cnn.com__. 2000. 22 Sept. 2008 http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/aids/stories/economic.impact/.