In order for us to understand why HIV/AIDS is such a problem for the African people, we need to understand exactly what it is. Most of us know that it can kill people that get it, but what else?
The human immunodeficiancy virus infects cells of the immune system, destroying their function. Infections that occur with the virus result in progressive deterioration of the immune system. The function of the immune system is to fight off bacteria, infections, and tumor cells. When an immune system starts deteriorating people are much more prone to sickness, disease, and death.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a term that applies to the most advanced stages of the HIV infection. People transition from having HIV to AIDS when they have any one of 20 opportunistic infections or HIV related cancers. (An example of an opportunistic infection is Tuberculosis.) For more information visit the W.H.O. website.
Because of the poor living conditions of most people living in Africa, the death rates are high for HIV/AIDS. People are more prone to be exposed to infections that further weaken their immune systems and quickly turn their HIV into AIDS. In Africa, Tuberculosis is the number one killer of people living with HIV/AIDS. The World Bank and other organizations are working to control infections that are worsening the effects of HIV/AIDS.
Learning more about HIV/AIDS helped me to understand a little more about why it is such a problem in Africa. I have often heard of people in America living with HIV for years before it becomes AIDS. Many African people are not so lucky. They are constantly fighting other infections that weaken their health and make it difficult to control HIV.
27
Mar
10
Aids In Africa 
Wow, I didn’t know that TB was the reason of death for so many people with HIV. This makes me wonder if we should focus more on treating people with TB or with AIDS? I wonder if we got rid of TB if there wouldn’t just be another infection that would step up and be the number 1 killer of those with AIDS instead, and if we should focus our efforts first more on controlling the spread of HIV? Also, I have heard that there is drug treatment that people can get on when they have AIDS that makes it so they can still live a full, longer life. Do you know much about that, and how much longer the people live when they take it?
I agree. Many people are still unaware of what aids really is. This is creating problems especially in Africa when people do not take this disease serious or want to be treated.