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Originally Posted by Lurker
This is actually an interesting thread. Sorry for derailing it!
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I know.. the controversy with AIDS spending in Africa is at many levels..
today in Africa WHO statistics are often grossly inflated to receive or prioritize AIDS medication funding. this creates an inbalance as demonstrated by the article in Uganda. However this is only a manifestation of a bigger problem with AIDS taking to high a priority in Africa today.
On a fundamental level, AIDS medication in particular has received to high a focus and priority over more basic requirements such as water sanitation, food production and distribution of more conventional medicine and medical attention. For example, many many diseases kill and afflict many many africans, it is estimated that preventable diseases are the single largest contributor to underdevelopment and underproduction in Africa by crippling the labor force with delibitating diseases. If these diseases were treated properly, Africa could develop beyond its problems and be in a proper position to tackle AIDS/HIV.
Further, even for those who have AIDS, what is more important clean water or AIDS medication? From AIDS you die from OTHER diseases, so technically speaking, the most effective way to save peoples lives from AIDS is to deal with the other preventable diseases which ACTUALLY kill even those with AIDS. People with AIDS need clean water, food and medical care MORE SO than anyone, and MORE SO than they need specific AIDS medicine. What good is AIDS medicine if the water your drink is full of disease or parasites? What good is AIDS medicine if you have nothing to eat? What good is AIDS medicine if you die from malaria or yellow fever or meningitis or one of the other 300 odd preventable diseases which kill in Africa today? AIDS is blown well out of proportion considering the SPECIFIC AND IMMEDIATE NEEDS in Africa as we speak.