HIV means The Human
Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV,
is the virus that causes HIV infection. During HIV infection, the virus attacks
and destroys the infection-fighting CD4 cells of the body’s immune
system. Loss of CD4 cells makes it difficult for the immune system to fight
infections. Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome, or AIDS, is the
most advanced stage of HIV infection. (www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines; retrieved on 12/12/2012)
According to Dyk (2008), “AIDS is a short form
of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. We say that this disease is acquired
because it is not a disease that is inherited. It is caused by virus (the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus HIV) that enters the body from the outside. Immunity is
the body’s natural ability to defend itself against infection and disease. A
deficiency is shortcoming-the weakening of the immune system so that it can no
longer defend itself against passing infections. A syndrome is a medical term
for a collection of specific signs and symptoms that occur together and that
are characterized of particular conditions.”
Hill at el; (2002) argued that; “HIV is the virus which attacks the T-cells in the immune system.
AIDS is the syndrome which appears in advanced stages of HIV infection. HIV is a virus. AIDS is a medical condition.
AIDS is the syndrome which appears in advanced stages of HIV infection. HIV is a virus. AIDS is a medical condition.
Generally, AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is a disease caused
by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The
illness alters the immune system, making people much more vulnerable to
infections and diseases. This susceptibility worsens as the disease progresses.
HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person (semen and vaginal fluids, blood and breast milk). The virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy, delivering the baby during childbirth, and through breast feeding.
HIV/AIDS is a
major development crisis that affects all sectors. HIV/AIDS epidemic has spread
relentlessly and affecting people in all walks of life and decimating the most
productive segments of the population particularly women and men. The
followings are different perspectives of HIV/AIDS illness on how it affects our
nation;
The HIV/AIDS
lead to absenteeism from workplaces; It also accelerate deaths reflects the
early manifestation of the epidemic leaving behind suffering and grief. Others
include lowering of life expectancy, increasing the dependency ratio, reducing
growth in GDP, reduction in productivity, increasing poverty, raising infant and
child mortality as well as the growing numbers of orphans.
(The National
Policy on HIV/AIDS; 2011)
The children
under the age of ten years bear the brunt of the impact of AIDS and for them
the impact is much longer lasting than for adults. The epidemic is a serious
threat to the country’s social and economic development and has serious and
direct implications on the social services and welfare. Given the high HIV
prevalence in the society, and in the absence of cure, the devastating impact
of the epidemic is incomprehensible. (The National Policy On HIV/AIDS; 2011)
It accelerates poverty
in most societies in Tanzania; HIV/AIDS influences the spread and impact of poverty.
In many ways it creates vulnerability to HIV infection, causes rapid
progression of the infection in the individual due to malnutrition and limits
access to social and health care services.
It lead to the
economical stagnation; HIV/AIDS influence the economical setback as it leads to
death of the economically active segments of the society and bread winners
leading to reduction in income or production. The human capital loss has
serious social and economic development in all sectors and at all levels.
Ultimately the high cost of care and burials leave heavy burden on the already
overburdened households, orphans and dependants, people living with HIV/AIDS
(PLHAs) and vulnerability to HIV infection. Therefore the ‘poverty factor’ at
the household level has to be addressed simultaneously with the National
efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. (The National Police on HIV/AIDS;
2011)
It leads the
demise/loss of productive labour force; ESRF; (2004) A study on the impact of
HIV/AIDS on agricultural performance in Ulanga and Kilombero districts reveals
that the death in the household and time taken to take care of HIV/AIDS related
problems have negatively impacted on agricultural productivity. Duration of
HIV/AIDS related illness covered a total of 479 man-days, which were equivalent
to a loss of agricultural labour force of 20 farming households. Putting it
differently, 20 farming households could not attend their farming activities at
all in the last 6 months prior to the survey due to illnesses related to
HIV/AIDS pandemic. Further, a total of 533 man-days were used to attend and/or
care for HIV/AIDS patients. This is equivalent to a loss of productive labour
force of 23 households in 6 months.
It cause Lower life expectancy; the trend in most
developing countries is towards older people out numbering younger people, but the decrease in life
expectancy caused by the AIDS
epidemic means that the reverse will remain true in sub-Saharan African
countries like Tanzania. By 2020, nearly 90 per cent of the world’s children
aged fewer than 15 will be
living in developing countries. As a consequence, the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on children
and families will be much more severe in
these countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, there will be twelve times as many children under 15 as adults over 64.
This is likely to lead to increased dependency ratios within households
(Graiger at.el; 2001)
It increases the rates of orphaning; as many parents dies and leave
their children, the number of orphans increases. According to UNICEF
and UNAIDS 1999 argued that “By
the end of 2000, 13million children, 10.4 million of them aged under 15 will have lost their mother or both
parents.” This is what we experience
now in Tanzania because the numbers of orphans are increasing and the centre of
orphans care increases day to day. The burden now sent to the government as
fails to help them to acquire their basic education (Hill at.el; 2002).
It leads to the demise in the number of teachers and quality of
education; HIV/AIDS impacts not only on the ‘demand’
for education, but also on the supply. A World Bank study in Tanzania
projected that 14,460 teachers would die from AIDS by 2010, costing
US$21 million in training for replacements. Furthermore, policies
intended to support children affected by HIV/AIDS, such as Uganda’s
introduction of free primary education for all children, have
overstretched the education system and dramatically reduced the quality
of education available to all children. In addition, anecdotal reports
suggest that parents may be claiming that (Graiger at. al; 2001)
Loss of
productivity due to the deaths of health workers; The health workers who died
had been in service for periods ranging from less than a year to 44 years. Half
of those who died had worked for between one year and 16 years. The large
majority of the deaths (70%) were among those who had worked between 10 and 24
years. It is apparent therefore that the health services are losing health
workers who have many years of working experience, especially among the males
(Mhondwa and Fimbo; 2006)
It
increases the number of dependents ratio; HIV/AIDS affects the welfare of
households through illness and death of family members, which in turn leads to
the diversion of resources from savings and investments into care. The HSRC has
argued that it is expected that the premature death of large numbers of the
adult population, typically at ages when they have already started families and
become economically productive, can have a radical effect on virtually every
aspect of social and economic life. This is clearly indicated by an increase in
the number of dependents relying on smaller numbers of productive household
members and increasing numbers of children left behind to be raised by
grandparents or as child-headed households (Hill at el; 2002)
It cause
the child labour and street beggars; Intensive use of child labour increases as
a major strategy typically used by the afflicted household during care
provision. Children may be taken out of school to fill labour and income gaps
created when productive adults become ill or are caring for terminally ill
household’s members or are deceased. Drawing from another study in Tanzania,
Rugalema confirms that the illness affects time allocation, puts pressure on
children to work, divert household cash and the disposal of household
productive assets. HIV/AIDS is therefore an impoverishing process that leads to
other problems such as malnutrition, inaccessibility to health care, increased
child mortality and hence intergenerational poverty. (Hill at.el; 2002)
Bollinger. at
el; (2009), argued that; HIV/AIDS leads
to the hardship and highly life costs; the direct costs of AIDS include
expenditures for medical care, drugs, and funeral expenses indirect costs
include lost time due to illness, recruitment and training costs to replace
workers, and care of orphans. If costs are financed out of savings, then the
reduction in investment could lead to a significant reduction in economic
growth. The economy Tanzania is heavily based on agriculture, particularly
subsistence farming. By 1996, 83% of the labor force was still employed in agriculture,
with the sector contributing 52% of GDP. The main cash crops are coffee,
cotton, cashew nuts, and cloves. Food crops include cassava and maize, along with
cattle rearing. Very little mining activity exists, while the small amount of
manufacturing activity consists mostly of food processing and textiles. The
services sector was the second largest US$170 in 1996
It leads to the demise of Government Health Facilities; Hospital Based Data indicate that up to 50% of beds are occupied by patients with HIV/AIDS related illness. Consequently the demand for care and hospital supplies is enormous and by-and-large government health facilities are facing inadequate funding and manpower. It is estimated that in Tanzania the ideal lifetime and nursing-care costs for HIV/AIDS is US $ 290 for adults and US$ 195 for children. Gains made during 1980's in TB control have been lost due to HIV/AIDS. TB case rates had been declining steadily up to 1982 but since then there has been a sharp increase the number of reported TB cases and in most urban areas these have more than doubled (tacaids report-2007)
Failure for the government to provide other social services in a good manner rather than helping those HIV/AIDS victims; The health sector in particular is experiencing an increased demand for its services, as AIDS patients occupy an ever-increasing number of beds in hospitals. And given illness episodes per AIDS patient, the public expenditure on AIDS treatment is high. In the education sector we find children pulled out of school either due to a lack of money or needed to help at home. The social welfare sector is experiencing a large increase of AIDS orphans.
Generally; Women
frequently are carrying a double burden of generating income outside the home
and for care giving as well as maintaining family land. In this regard, women
are responsible for caring for sick members of the household, for childcare, as
well as being heavily involved in generating money and supplying food for their
households through agricultural production.
REFERENCES:
The
National Police on HIV/AIDS; (2011)
Dyk
A.V.(2008) HIV/AIDS Care and Counselling,
4th edition. Maskew Miller Longman (pty) ltd
ESRF; (2004) The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Food Poverty in Rural Tanzania:
The Case of Ludewa District. Final Report
Grainger C. (2001) Children Affected by HIV/AIDS: Rights and
responses in the developing world. Working Paper Number 23
Bollinger L.
(1999) The Economic Impact of AIDS in Tanzania. Research Triangle
Institute (RTI), Tanzania
Ruhweza A.
(2002) The Impact of HIV/AIDS on
Education and Institutionalizing Preventive Education. International
Institute for Education Planning/UNESCO, Paris.
Muhondwa E.P.Y
and Fimbo B.N (2006) Impact of HIV/AIDS
On Human Resources for Health In Tanzania. ECSA Health Community, Arusha.
Tacaids
Report, 2007