Sad News About the HIV/AIDS Crisis In Africa

For the last 10 years or so treatment for HIV/AIDS has become more and more accessible to those that needed it the most.  Drugs that once cost $12,000 a year are now less than $100, and people from all over the world were willing to donate money to help build medical centers and to fund the supply of medication that would go to help countless victims of the dreaded disease.

Sadly the tide is changing......

In Uganda, only about 200,000 people are receiving treatment out of 500,000 that are HIV positive, and each year an additional 110,000 are infected..  Even with these staggering statistics, Uganda was the first country where major clinics started routinely turning people away.

Also.....

*In Kenya, grants to keep 200,000 people on drugs will expire soon with no promise of renewal

*An American-run program in Mozambique has been told to stop opening clinics. 

*There have been drug shortages in Nigeria and Swaziland. 

*Tanzania and Botswana are lowering the amount of people they are treating

The global recession has had a huge effect on donors.  There is a growing sense that more lives would be saved by fighting cheaper diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles and tetanus. Cures for those killers, like antibiotics, mosquito nets, rehydration salts, water filters, shots and deworming pills, cost only 1 to 10 dollars.  Obama's new Global Health Initiative plan demonstrates this shift in focus to mother-and-child health care programs. The U.S. AIDS budget was only increased by 2 percent.  

Unfortunately the number of people infected by AIDS grows by a million a year but the money for treatment has stopped growing. According to the United Nations, for every 100 people put on treatment, 250 are newly infected.

I was floored by this information!  I mean, I knew it was bad....but really, I thought things were supposed to be getting better!  Are you kidding me?!  What do you do about a situation like this?  If someone doesn't do something.....will there be any people left in Africa in a few years?  Things aren't getting better....they're getting worse!


Along with this very sad HIV/AIDS news comes the fact that worldwide more than 15 million children have been orphaned due to AIDS.  One every 15 seconds, to be exact....

Over 5,500 each and every day.


AND...

Children are being left to take care of children.

Here is a short YouTube video documentary about some of Africa's children that are trying to carry on after their parents have died.

My heart was changed in November of 2008 when for the first time I actually saw, heard and acknowledged the situation in Africa....and have I ever mentioned Haiti?  Oh, I had heard it all before, but did I really?  It was so easy to just let it go and easily put it out of my mind.....it's not for me to worry about, I thought.  What can I do?  I'm just one person. 


 Something happened that day in Nov. 08 and now there is no turning back.  Here are the words to one of the songs that really hits home for me:


I saw what I saw and I can't forget it
I heard what I heard and I can't go back
I know what I know and I can't deny it

We've done what we've done and we can't erase it
We are what we are and it's more than enough
We have what we have but it's no substitution 

I say what I say with no hesitation
I have what I have and I'm giving it up
I do what I do with deep conviction 

   

Something on the road
Cut me to the soul 

Your pain has changed me
Your dream inspires
Your face a memory
Your hope a fire

Your courage asks me what I'm made of
And what I know of love....

~Sara Groves

Have you been changed yet?

Wendy