AIDS in Africa
From www.avert.org/aidsimpact.htm:
Two-thirds of all people living with HIV are found in sub-Saharan Africa, although this region contains little more than 10% of the world’s population. AIDS has caused immense human suffering in the continent. The most obvious effect of this crisis has been illness and death, but the impact of the epidemic has certainly not been confined to the health sector; households, schools, workplaces and economies have also been significantly affected.
During 2007 alone, an estimated 1.5 million adults and children died as a result of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the beginning of the epidemic more than 15 million Africans have died from AIDS. Read More...
Unicef Reports: Africa's orphans are at a higher rish for HIV. Read More...
Report on Zambia.
Below is a report from Dr. Arti Barnes of the University of Iowa, who spent a month in Kitwe studying infectious diseases. When she was able, she volunteered at the Transit Home.
The average Zambian will not live to see his or her 41st birthday. A large part of this stems from the devastating impact of HIV on this nation and her people. 1.1 million (17 % of adults) live with the disease but only 27 % of them have access to anti-retrovirals in spite of the government providing free anti-retrovirals for the past two years. Over 700,000 children are now orphaned by HIV and that number is expected to grow to about a million by 2014. Many organizations are gearing up for this challenge, like the Ubumi Project, an NGO dedicated to improving living conditions and providing sanctuary to the orphans and vulnerable children.
The University of Iowa Hospitals also recognizes the impact of this disease on international health, especially with the growing diversity in the Mid-West and our subsequent awareness of the plight of our neighbors, both near and distant. As part of its commitment towards understanding the impact of HIV on global health, one of its resident physicians visited the country of Zambia in November 2006 to gain a deeper perspective of the social and medical repercussions of this disease. Arti Barnes, a second year Internal Medicine resident spent the month working both at Kitwe Central Hospital and the Ubumi Project Africa. Even a city of 800,000 people like Kitwe had Anti retro Viral clinics running at full capacity 5 days a week. 50 -100 people would line up each morning in front of the clinic doors waiting to receive their medications and medical check ups. Resources were limited and though the medications were free, tests like CD4 counts required to assess disease progression and drug effects were not, making medication management a challenge. The inpatient wards were even more heart breaking with more than half the beds filled with HIV positive people, most of whom lacked the resources to get basic lab tests or even X rays done. Life-saving IV antibiotics were in short supply and if patients couldn’t buy them, they would just have to do without.
The orphanage run by the Ubumi project created a greater sense of optimism as the children there seemed to live in a world that included music, computers and books in spite of the specter of disease that clouded some of the air there. Sarah, 11 months old and unaware of the disease she is fighting, has not yet learnt to crawl or say a word, but she is well loved and protected…a fate that is unfortunately not available to most orphans who are forced to beg on the streets or resort to prostitution.
The month spent with these children provided a unique experience and unforgettable memories for their visitor from Iowa. An experience that will hopefully translate into a greater public health initiative and commitment by UIHC towards the global fight against AIDS…an experience that will be hopefully be repeated by other health professionals under the auspices of the International Health Elective. It is an invaluable Elective Rotation that has created both an opportunity and a platform for higher learning and greater visions.
From www.avert.org/aidsimpact.htm:
Two-thirds of all people living with HIV are found in sub-Saharan Africa, although this region contains little more than 10% of the world’s population. AIDS has caused immense human suffering in the continent. The most obvious effect of this crisis has been illness and death, but the impact of the epidemic has certainly not been confined to the health sector; households, schools, workplaces and economies have also been significantly affected.
During 2007 alone, an estimated 1.5 million adults and children died as a result of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the beginning of the epidemic more than 15 million Africans have died from AIDS. Read More...
Unicef Reports: Africa's orphans are at a higher rish for HIV. Read More...
Report on Zambia.
Below is a report from Dr. Arti Barnes of the University of Iowa, who spent a month in Kitwe studying infectious diseases. When she was able, she volunteered at the Transit Home.
The average Zambian will not live to see his or her 41st birthday. A large part of this stems from the devastating impact of HIV on this nation and her people. 1.1 million (17 % of adults) live with the disease but only 27 % of them have access to anti-retrovirals in spite of the government providing free anti-retrovirals for the past two years. Over 700,000 children are now orphaned by HIV and that number is expected to grow to about a million by 2014. Many organizations are gearing up for this challenge, like the Ubumi Project, an NGO dedicated to improving living conditions and providing sanctuary to the orphans and vulnerable children.
The University of Iowa Hospitals also recognizes the impact of this disease on international health, especially with the growing diversity in the Mid-West and our subsequent awareness of the plight of our neighbors, both near and distant. As part of its commitment towards understanding the impact of HIV on global health, one of its resident physicians visited the country of Zambia in November 2006 to gain a deeper perspective of the social and medical repercussions of this disease. Arti Barnes, a second year Internal Medicine resident spent the month working both at Kitwe Central Hospital and the Ubumi Project Africa. Even a city of 800,000 people like Kitwe had Anti retro Viral clinics running at full capacity 5 days a week. 50 -100 people would line up each morning in front of the clinic doors waiting to receive their medications and medical check ups. Resources were limited and though the medications were free, tests like CD4 counts required to assess disease progression and drug effects were not, making medication management a challenge. The inpatient wards were even more heart breaking with more than half the beds filled with HIV positive people, most of whom lacked the resources to get basic lab tests or even X rays done. Life-saving IV antibiotics were in short supply and if patients couldn’t buy them, they would just have to do without.
The orphanage run by the Ubumi project created a greater sense of optimism as the children there seemed to live in a world that included music, computers and books in spite of the specter of disease that clouded some of the air there. Sarah, 11 months old and unaware of the disease she is fighting, has not yet learnt to crawl or say a word, but she is well loved and protected…a fate that is unfortunately not available to most orphans who are forced to beg on the streets or resort to prostitution.
The month spent with these children provided a unique experience and unforgettable memories for their visitor from Iowa. An experience that will hopefully translate into a greater public health initiative and commitment by UIHC towards the global fight against AIDS…an experience that will be hopefully be repeated by other health professionals under the auspices of the International Health Elective. It is an invaluable Elective Rotation that has created both an opportunity and a platform for higher learning and greater visions.