The statistics for 2007 showed that about 33 million people in the world were currently living with HIV, which is the virus that causes the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). AIDS has now become a pandemic and an uprising economic problem in America. So, how do we deal with it?
The Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be passed from person to person through sexual fluids, blood, and breast milk. In America, more than one million people are living with HIV and sexual intercourse accounts for one third of new diagnoses. Other diagnoses are through sharing needles and mothers passing on to their children at birth.
There is NO cure or vaccine for AIDS at this point, but with better technology as years to come, it is a possibility that scientists could find a way to cure it. But as for right now, the people who are living with HIV, or even AIDS, have no way to change things. They do have a chance though, a choice of treatment. People with HIV can take three antiretroviral drugs and can expect to recover their health and live for many years without developing AIDS, just as long as they continue taking these drugs every day. Now, even though there is some sort of treatment out there for people living with HIV, not everyone has access to these services. Most rich countries, like Brazil and Botswana, have accomplished almost universal treatment. But many poor countries can’t afford the health education to learn about AIDS or the treatment.
HIV and AIDS affects economic growth by reducing the availability of human capital. Without proper nutrition, health care and medicine that is available in developed countries, large numbers of people are falling victim to AIDS. They will be unable to work and will also require significant medical care. The future predictions of the AIDS pandemic is that this will likely cause a collapse of economies and societies in countries with a large AIDS population. In some heavily infected areas, like Africa, the disease...