Hiv Aids in Sub Saharan Africa Assesment Report

RUNNING HEAD: HIV AIDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
0
HIV/AIDS in Sub-
Saharan Africa
STUDENT’S DETAILS-
2020

HIV AIDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 1
Challenges Associated HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa in
SDG Agenda for Intervention
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is infectious disease to be defined as HIV
infection which can hamper the immune system through decreasing the amounts of white blood
cells which fight infections (1). There is an overall increase in the global trends for HIV
prevalence. Moreover, for the Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a disproportionate burden of HIV
which accounts for 70 percent of the infections into the global world. Sub-Saharan Africa has
been able to prevent HIV which has reduced the global burden of HIV aids (2). The scaling up
of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has reduced the chronic disease and led to manageable condition
which declines the overall death rates related to HIV and other new infection (3). Here the essay
has discussed the challenges associated with the intervention undertaken for HIV and the
significant ways by which challenges can be met through meeting the goals prescribed under the
SDG agenda. Also, the essay will critically examine the various intervention which are used in
Sub-Saharan Africa for reducing the death rates which are caused as a result of HIV.
The status of HIV/AIDs in Sub-Saharan Africa can be seen from the fact that 9.0 percent of
prevalence can be seen in this region. According to estimates of the UNIAIDs, there are total 40
million people who are living with HIV and out of them 28.5 million people are of Sub-Saharan
Africa. The prevalence of HIV can be seen from the fact that 35 million of people had HIV in
2013 (4). Moreover, the widespread coverage of ART has reduced the HIV in Sub-Saharan
Africa region. Moreover, the factors such as the biological, cultural, economic and structural
which increase the vulnerability of HIV in Africa. Also, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the region
which is affected by HIV overall epidemic (5). This is considered as the global health issue as it
has decreased the life expectancy rates in Sub-Saharan region. Moreover, adolescent girls and
women are more infected by HIV as this has led to the higher rates of transmission as compared
to men.
In SSA, the main mode of transmission of HIV is the heterosexual sex in which women
accounted for the 58 percent which is the total number of people living with HIV. With the
access to ART, there is decrease in the death rates by 39 percent. It has CD4 cell which has
resulted in the decline in the mortality rate and increased the life expectancy which benefits the

HIV AIDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 2
early initiative for HIV positive individuals. Not only this there are several interventions for the
controlling of HIV (6). This can be seen from there is an increased awareness of AIDs and also
the sales of the condom have been increased dramatically within the past few years. Besides, the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have ensured the wellbeing of present and future
generations which has an impact of life expectancy of HIV positive people (7).
There are set of interventions which are required for the treatment and dealing with the people
with HIV. Promising findings suggests that the reduction of HIV infection through the reduction
in the sexually transmitted disease in rural Tanzania (8). Moreover, changing human behavior
will show a lower extent of the transmission which will be foreseeable future and will be an
important defense against HIV Aids in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, more social and
behavioral research will certainly develop the effective strategies for the mitigation of the
negative causes of this epidemic (9). This infection can spread quickly into the individuals
whose behaviors are at risk. These people are sex workers and their clients are vulnerable for the
spreading of the disease and hence early intervention is required for the protection of the
infection. The interventions are required for the changing patterns of sex and tradition which is
the intervention for the reduction in the female genital mutilation.
Moreover, HIV prevention field is vastly growing and the numerous interventions can be made
for the prevention of HIV which can include the public health strategies which can include the
programs such as behavior change, use of condom, knowledge of HIV status, medical male
circumcision and the provisions made for the post exposure prophylaxis (10). Also, the
combination of HIV prevention packages is used for the vaginal and sexual intercourse which
can be influenced by relationship type and also be affected by the form of partnerships. Further,
increase in the use and distribution of male condom has declined the death rates caused by HIV
infection (11). Apart from this making an increased awareness and knowledge of HIV can lead
to the AIDs prevention through HIV counselling and testing (HCT) in order to minimize the
stigma which can be the innovative intervention for the prevention of onward transmission. The
interventions undertaken has the capacity to fill in the gaps in the treatment of young women
(12). The challenges in the intervention is the lack of licensing of these promising interventions
in Sub-Saharan Africa in public sector.

HIV AIDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 3
The regional government also shows efforts for combating Aids which could include more
effective strategies for the prevention of HIV transmission which could be mitigated and reduce
the epidemic impact of AIDs. UNAIDs had set the target for the reduction of the infections by 75
percent by 2030 in 2014 (13). The intervention will be required in terms of the behavioral,
biomedical and structural. Particularly, condom distribution can be the effective way to use this
as the single intervention through the combating prevention as a holistic approach. Besides the
effective behavioral interventions are used for combating the risky behaviors which can lead to
the HIV.
Moreover, the systematic behavioral change and social intervention can lead to the reduction of
the HIV aids and which can reduce the numbers in the sexual partners, teenage pregnancy and
multiple sexual partnerships which can lead to the prevention against the HIV. Lastly, there are
biomedical interventions can be used against the HIV through the clinical and medical
approaches (14). Male circumcision is the example of intervention made for the reducing the
risk of HIV intervention which can be 60 percent at time of unprotected sex. Biomedical
interventions can also be made in the form of the male and female condoms, voluntary medical
male circumcision, antiretroviral drugs which can prevent mother to child transmission and also
needle and syringe programs can prevent the body from harmful infection. Moreover, there are
certain gaps and challenges in the biomedical prevention and strategy which can be met for the
effective treatment of the people with HIV (2).
Antiretroviral (ART) treatment is an effective way for dealing with the infection of HIV through
reducing the heterosexual transmission which can certainly prevent 96 percent of transmissions.
Moreover, ART was firstly introduced in 1996 which has caused decrease in the mortality (15).
The treatment of ART is specifically provided to pregnant women and as a result, more of
women and children are receiving ART treatment. With the use of this treatment there is greater
reduction in the HIV due to which it has fallen by 39 percent. ART is the cost-effective method
which can reduce the incidences of HIV. Due to facing difficulties in the behavior change, there
is an increased importance of ART therapy which can certainly lead to prolonged survival and a
decline in the viral code can lead to the decline in HIV (16). Moreover, the universal coverage
of antiretroviral therapy has reduced the occurrence of injections which is a comprehensive