Abdulla Saleh Buali

201312501
Africa and AIDS

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In the year of 2011, there was approximately 23 million people affected with human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Africa. This is an increase from 2009, when the estimate of
people affected with HIV was around 22 million this includes around 2.3 million children that
are also affected. The may be caused thanks to the diminishing decrease in acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) deaths in the region. The number of victims in Africas
battle with AIDS can be significantly decreased by educating African communities about
HIV/AIDS and causes, decriminalizing people affected with AIDS/HIV, and the push for more
HIV/AID clinics.
The attitudes to homosexual people living in Africa by Africans are slowing down the
progress of the treatment to AIDS and HIV (Roehr, 2010). Mere rumors of a gay wedding has
sparked a riot at a HIV clinic located in Kenya, which led to the clinic to be closed for two days,
the pair of men who were planning to get married were sentenced to 14 years of hard labor. In
Uganda, thanks to a bill named Bahati Bill named after David Bahati or the Antihomosexuality act, that was proposed in 2009 and signed in 24th February 2014, it considered
homosexuality is considered a crime and is punishable by incarceration in prison for life
(Parliament of Uganda, 2014). The problem with that is not only the fact that Ugandan
government passed a bill criminalizing homosexuality but also the society is uneducated about
HIV/AIDS and they have linked HIV/AIDS to being a homosexual and engaging in homosexual
acts. When in reality it is the misinformation and lack of information about HIV/AIDS are the
cause. According to a recent survey by the National AIDS indicator, around 53% males and 36%
of woman between the age of 20 and 24 have used a condom in the past 12 months. This
alarming rate questions Ugandas prevention methods of HIV/AIDS.

Abdulla Saleh Buali

201312501
Africa and AIDS

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In Malawai, where an engagement party of a gay couple, where one of the couples
dresses as a woman went raw were arrested and their arrest lead on a harsher crackdown on other
homosexual couples, the couple were denied bail and their trail is delayed indefinitely. Michel
Kazatchkine, director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, said, "The
criminalization of individuals based on their sexual orientation rives sexual behavior
underground, where HIV can more easily spread. This ultimately affects the broader
population. (Roehr, 2010).

A question that may rise is, why or what caused African countries to be homophobic or
anti-homosexual. To answer that question we need to go back in time, back when Africa was
thought of as a big piece of cake with European powers slicing bits and pieces. When the
colonizers, they brought the concept of homophobia with them. The colonizers, especially the
United Kingdom, severely enforced laws outlawing homosexuality. By the time the colonizers
gave up their colonies much of laws criminalizing homosexuality stayed with them (Amory,
1997). What is so ironic is that now a lot of African countries see homosexuality as a western
fad. A former Malawian president named Bingu wa Mutharika stated that he blames
homosexuality for his countrys loss of Western aid money.

Abdulla Saleh Buali

201312501
Africa and AIDS

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A recent United Nations (U.N) report stated that Ending AIDS is possible by 2030,
while this does bring positivity to a dire problem, the report also stated that around 19 million
people out of the 35 million people affected with HIV are not aware that theyre carrying the
virus. The decline of infections is attributed to the increase in treatment coverage. In data
suggests that for every 10 percent increase in HIV/AIDS treatment coverage yields a 1 percent
decline in newly infected people. The report also stated that the number of people affected with
AIDS/HIV is stabilizing (Taylor, 2014). One of the main treatments of the virus is called
antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs. Around 76 percent of people on ART drugs are now
considered viral suppressed which translates to likeness of passing AIDS/HIV to their sexual
partners is low. Recent research is also being conducted to see in an ideal place where everyone
who is affected with HIV are eligible for the treatment, the research will be useful when
estimating the population level effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (Suthar, Calleja, & Weiler,
2014).
AIDS and HIV today is still a problem and the problem will not be able to solve it self. It
needs a cooperation of the world. The linking of homosexuality and HIV/AIDS can be
considered a reason to why homophobic laws are still in places. The idea of HIV/AIDS is caused
by homosexual actions results to homosexuals fearing treatment or coming up for HIV/AIDS
tests. With the new reports by the U.N, the will of the people wanting to eradicate AIDS/HIV
will be stronger than ever.

Abdulla Saleh Buali

201312501
Africa and AIDS

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References
Amory, D. (1997). "homosexuality" in africa: Issues and debates. African Studies Association,
25(1), 5-10.
Parliament of Uganda, (2014). Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014. David Bahati.
Roehr, B. (2010). Homophobia and africa's HIV epidemic. BMJ: British Medical Journal,
340(7757), 1166-1168. doi:10.2307/40702157
Suthar, A. B., Calleja, J. M. G., & Weiler, G. A. (2014). Towards national and global
measurement of antiretroviral therapy effectiveness. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 14(1),
14 - 15. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70357-8
Taylor, S. (2014). Ending AIDS is possible by 2030 says UN report. Retrieved, 2014, Retrieved
from http://sadc.einnews.com/article/214131325/OAb3-2nRZ3lBnxzt

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201312501
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