AIDS is one of the world's most devastating diseases. Killing millions of people each year, almost half children, there is no cure or vaccine for AIDS. Although there is no cure for AIDS, there are drugs available which help a person with AIDS live longer, than if they didn't have these drugs.

In Canada, and most other western countries, these drugs are readily available, and are used by most AIDS patients. And in Canada like most other industrialized countries AIDS is under control. But, its not like that all over the world. In Africa, one of the world's poorest places, AIDS is out of control and people cannot afford treatment.

First, lets get some background information on a continent most people know little about. Africa is made up of many nations. Most former Italian, French, Portuguese, British, German, and Dutch colonies. Also most African nations are fairly young, on average a lot of the countries in Africa received their independence in the past 50 years. With newly gained independence, came war. War, and civil war have plagued the continent for years. Many countries have changed boundaries, names, and some have even just disappeared, becoming a part of another country. And all this changing names, and war have left Africa extremely poor. The income of most Africans is $400-$700 a year. Making it nearly impossible for an African with AIDS to afford treatment.

With war, civil war, an political unrest, many African governments don't have AIDS education and awareness high on their priority list. Besides AIDS, which while affecting many people on the continent, doesn't compare to the millions of people in Africa suffering because of famine. Famine is a problem that has plagued the continent for years. Famine is a major problem in Africa because of the crops people plant, like peanuts that destroy the topsoil and turn the land into desert. This makes it impossible to plant anything on the land again, once it has been destroyed. Also, the weather effects the crops. In sub-Saharan Africa rain comes in monsoons, which are large storms that dump a large amount of rain. And if these monsoon rains don't come, the crops die. Which means that people essentially don't eat that particular year, in that country. And this kills millions of people in Africa each year. This problem is usually top priority of most African governments, and aid agencies in Africa. Which means that AIDS will most likely get worse in Africa before it gets better.

Now, lets get some background on AIDS. People can get AIDS in many ways. Some include bad blood transfusions, being injected with used needles, coming in contact with a person infected with AIDS blood, and unprotected sex. These lead to getting AIDS, and eventually death. And these are just some of the reasons why people in Africa are dying by the millions because of AIDS.

The lack of AIDS medications in Africa is taking its toll. Today in six countries in southern Africa between 8% and 25% of doctors will die due to AIDS by 2005. And in a continent where doctors are few and far between this is an extraordinarily high number. But, AIDS in Africa isn't only affecting doctors. In seven countries in the southern cone of Africa, 80% of all deaths in young adults aged 25-45 will be because of HIV or AIDS. It is also estimated that in twenty years the population of some countries in Africa could drop by half.

The fact is that a lot of people with AIDS in Africa are modern professionals, people like doctors, engineers, and others in the newly formed African middle class. The fact that most AIDS victims in these countries are professions, the country's best and brightest is worrying many African governments. These people are needed to help the continent become richer, and pull these countries out of poverty. And without these highly skilled people many African countries will continue their circle of poverty.

There are many reasons why Africa has such a high number of AIDS cases. The main reason is because, many Africans are having unprotected sex. And many people in Africa are not educated about the dangers of AIDS or unprotected sex. Recently the President of South Africa made a comment doubting AIDS existed. This is one of the other reasons why people in Africa have high AIDS cases. Many just don't believe that AIDS exists, and so they don't take proper precautions to avoid contracting the disease.

Also, many African countries do not have proper hospitals or clinics for their citizens. Unlike Canada, many African hospitals do not have sophisticated medical equipment that can screen donated blood for diseases.

So, this means that if someone in Africa needs a blood transfusion, they could potentially get blood infected with AIDS. And, African hospitals have sometimes use needles over and over again. This means that you can also contract by being given a used needle.

Not, everyone in Africa gets AIDS by having bad blood transfusions or by being injected with dirty needles in African hospitals. Most of the children in Africa who have AIDS contracted when they were born, because their mothers had AIDS when they were pregnant with their child.

The AIDS problem in Africa can only be helped if proper medical treatment, and AIDS drugs are available for every African who has AIDS. And major progress is being made today. Many of the companies who make AIDS drugs may soon start lowering the prices so that these particular drugs can be affordable for someone in Africa with AIDS. Also volunteers with many organizations such as the Red Cross, and officials with the United Nations, are going into Africa to help educate the public about the dangers of AIDS, what AIDS actually is, and how to prevent getting AIDS in the first place.

It is the hope of many people, that AIDS in Africa will soon be brought under control. And until then, the people of Africa will have to be better educated about AIDS, and what it can do to a person. Until this happens, AIDS will continue to plague the continent for years to come.

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