Aids In Africa.

AIDS INAFRICA

(SPEECH)

Africa continues to dwarf the rest of the world in how the region has been affected by AIDS. Africa is home to 70% of the adults and 80% of the children living with HIV in the world. According to the UNAIDS report, the estimated number of newly infected adults and children in Africa reached 3.5 million at the end of 2001. The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa will not be stopped with drugs and "abstinence only" education, Sex education and condom availability are required for this battle.

As for means of protection against HIV/AIDS, one of the biggest obstacles is a lack of availability of condoms in most of the continent. The availability of condoms and promptness in diagnosing and curing other sexually transmitted diseases, which if left untreated can increase the risk acquiring HIV/AIDS through sex. In sub-Saharan Africa alone there is only an average of 4.6 condoms per man per year, so providing another 1.9 billion condoms could have a huge impact on the epidemic. According to UNAIDS report, the availability and use of condoms in Uganda has brought its estimated prevalence rate down to around 8% from a peak close to 14% in the early 1990s. Condoms, if used consistently and correctly, can provide a high level of protection against these transmissible infections. Condoms not only prevent HIV/AIDS but can also help control Africa's growing population challenge.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Another one of the biggest obstacles is the lack of sex education in the continent. Unlike the western culture, most African countries never talk frankly about sex. Most people were inquiring about “sex” because it was so “hidden”. Curiosity got the best of them and the exploration of many sexual partners became “popular”. Two of my close friends who decided to explore with the rest of the uninformed people, died from AIDS six years ago. These people were not educated on the necessary preventive measures needed to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and other STD diseases. According to UNAIDS, the infection is still rising in sub-Saharan Africa because what is being done for prevention is "fragmented" and "not enough.” There is need to make HIV discussable at all levels involving community and religious leaders. Currently the disease is still too hidden.'' African countries should introduce frank sex education programs in schools, intensify the distribution of condoms and remove barriers that prevent HIV-positive people from going public.

Overall, as for means of protection against HIV/AIDS, one of the biggest obstacles is a lack of availability of condoms and the lack of sex education in most of the continent. Many African countries awareness should be created about the condoms efficacy in preventing the spread of HIV. This in my view will allow people to make informed decision about the use of condoms as an HIV prevention method. My aunt died of AIDS when I was 13years old. I was not informed of her disease until the day we buried her. Two years prior to her death, she had a baby boy. He was always in the hospital and very sick, and everyone thought it was malaria. They decided to take him to the hospital. The doctor informed my aunt that she had AIDS and passed it on to her son. He died two months later. She suffered the pain of losing her son and dealing with the crippling deadly disease. So should we allow this deadly disease to keep spreading in the continent? You and me can reduce the spread of this deadly disease by educating our families, community, country and the African continent as a whole, so are you ready for that?

I will conclude my speech by reminding you that prevention is better than treatment, so are you ready to minimize the spread of this disease through prevention.

MOHAMED BILLE MUSSE

11SS