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BACHELOR OF SOCIAL SCIENCES HONOURS DEGREE IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
[BLOCK RELEASE 2.2]
FACULTY : HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT : DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
STUDENT NAME : EMMANUEL R MARABUKA
STUDENT ID NUMBER : L0110064T
MODULE NAME : HIV AND AIDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
LECTURER :MR D. NYATHI
DUE DATE : 01 MARCH 2013
1. QUESTION : Using appropriate examples discuss the implications
of HIV and AIDS in Development of Sub Saharan Africa.[25]
Throughout history, few crises have presented such a threat to human health and to social and
economic progress as does the HIV/AIDS epidemic. HIV and AIDS is not only a health issue
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because it is associated with many developmental implications both at household and at
national level. HIV/AIDS has become increasingly understood as a development issue and,
moreover, to have a ‘bi-directional’ relationship with the processes related to development. It
is estimated that Sub-Saharan Africa is more heavily affected by HIV and AIDS than any
other region of the world with 22.9 million people living with HIV in the region-around two
thirds of the global total (Avert 2012). HIV and AIDS mainly affect the economically
productive age of 15-59 years. This age is the back born of the economy. HIV and AIDS
compromise development at large due to diversion of labour and resources to care for the
sick. However this essay seeks to discuss the implications of HIV and AIDS in development
in Sub Saharan Africa. In this essay I will also include recommendations to minimise the
effects of HIV and AIDS in Sub Saharan Africa.
Therefore, it may be important to first highlight how HIV and AIDS weaken human body
since its implications are based on health. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is
responsible for destroying the immune system of the body (Mukusha 2010). Thus, HIV, as a
virus, disempowers the human body of the ability to fight against invader germs and diseases
that may end up in the development of AIDS. AIDS stand for Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome a situation whereby HIV in a full-blown state, rendering the individual vulnerable
to a plethora of diseases, brings down the body’s immune system. The body’s immune
system, at this full-blown HIV state, is severely incapacitated, thus failing to fight against
invader germs and viruses. Usually, an AIDS infected person falls prey to a multiplicity of
‘chronic’ diseases. Therefore, HIV and AIDS have no cure yet and it is mainly transmitted
through unprotected sex and getting contact with wounded part with infected blood or
exchanging unsterilized object with an infected person. National AIDS Council 2010
postulate that, HIV is predominantly transmitted through sexual contact. It is assumed that
between 80 and 90%of infections are due to sexual transmission. HIV and AIDS mainly
affect productive age because that age is very active in sexual activities which cause them to
be vulnerable to infection
HIV cause serious havoc in Sub Saharan Africa because of poor health facilities, dangerous
cultural practices for instance female genital mutilation, commercial sex among others. Avert
(2012) postulate that, in 2010 around 1.2 million people died from AIDS in sub-Saharan
Africa and 1.9 million people became infected with HIV. Since the beginning of the epidemic
14.8 million children lose one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. Commission of Africa
(undated) postulate that, is 20 percent or more of HIV prevalence in; Botswana, Lesotho,
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Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In these countries, all in southern
Africa, at least one adult in five is living with HIV. This means many adult people are
affected by HIV in Sub Saharan African states. The social and economic consequences of the
AIDS epidemic are widely felt, not only in the health sector but also in education, industry,
agriculture, transport, human resources and the economy in general (Yeager 2003). The
AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa continues to devastate communities, rolling back
decades of development progress.
FAO (2002) revealed that, since the disease commonly strikes the most economically
productive members of society, HIV/AIDS is a problem of critical importance for
agricultural, economic and social development. In the same vein White and Robinson (2000)
postulate that HIV and AIDS are affecting all populations, particularly people in their most
productive years, between the ages of 15 and 45. White and Robinson 2000 further exposed
that ‘prime age’ adults are one of the most significant groups prone to sickness and death
from HIV/AIDS, and an increasing number of children have been orphaned as a result. In line
with this view (Were and Nafula, 2003) eludes that, sugar companies in Kenya’s sugar belt
located at a region with the highest HIV prevalence rates have indicated that approximately
one in three employees is HIV positive. This clearly shows its prevalence in productive ages
thereby reducing labour force. Therefore HIV causes high dependency of orphaned children
to elderly people who are not productive. More so, it increases the number of orphan and
vulnerable children causing concern to the nation thereby causing diversion of resources to
care for vulnerable children.
HIV and AIDS cause many problems both at household and national level. Therefore its
implications are most felt at household level especially the affected household. In Coˆ tee
d’Ivoire, households with insufficient labour have been observed to choose between hiring
labour and giving land away for crop sharing (FAO, 2001). In Gwanda, Rakai district,
Uganda, the FAO found large areas of land uncultivated due to lack of labour or financial
resources to pay for workers outside the family. This means that labour may have been
diverted to care for the sick or the labourers may be sick thereby reducing agricultural labour.
This directly compromise household development in the sense that, the household will end up
depending on food hand outs. Also household food security will be threatened. Another
immediate impact of AIDS at household level is that, households experience a loss of
financial assets in several areas: labour may be diverted from economically productive
activities such as paid employment or cash-crop production to care for the sick individual,
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and money is needed for medication and to pay funeral costs after the inevitable death. This
affect both household and national food security since Sub Saharan Africa is Agro based
economy.
A direct impact of HIV on households is classically, a downward spiral of the
family/household's welfare begins when the first adult in a household falls ill. There is
increased spending for health care, decreased productivity and higher demands for care (FAO
2002). Therefore, this clearly shows that HIV and AIDS affect household production also it
comprise household income generating through liquidation of productive assets for example
selling of cattle and ploughs. In addition if household goods are sold, that household will be
most likely to fall into the poverty trap more so it may and this directly castrates human
development. Once savings are gone, the family seeks support from relatives, borrows money
or sells its productive assets. In support to this view Were and Nafula (2003) exposes that, at
the family or household level, the loss of income as a result of death and the cost of care
deplete the family’s savings and resources. This is likely to lead to low demand for goods and
services and low investment in health, education and physical assets. In addition, HIV and
AIDS lead to poverty if it liquidates productive goods.
In general, labour productivity would be affected by HIV/AIDS because of the loss of skilled
workers, an increase in absenteeism and the entry into the labour market of less experienced
young people and older persons who have not worked before. Coulibaly (2005) alludes that,
mortality could result in the loss of experienced labour and low quality of work as
inexperienced personnel step in earlier than normal in their careers to do the work of
experienced staff. This has negative implications in development because it compromise
quality goods and service provision. Death from HIV related opportunistic infections usually
occurs after a long period of illness. During this period, while the infected person is still
considered as a staff of the sector, his/her work may either be left undone or may have to be
done by other personnel in addition to their own work Commission of Africa (undated). This
clearly shows that HIV and AIDS production at large. Moreover since experienced people are
infected by HIV and AIDS, production will be automatically reduced also this affects the
passing over of information from experienced people to young inexperienced people.
In a study conducted on Zambian businesses, by Baggaley et al (1994) cited in Coulibaly
(2005) found that HIV/AIDS may have reduced productivity in 48 per cent of companies
surveyed between 1987 and 1992. This clearly shows that HIV can cause decline of industrial
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production due to its direct impact on labour force. Moreover HIV increases expenses to the
employer because if a person is ill he/she need to go on sick leave whilst being paid without
bringing production to the company. In the same vein, Were and Fulani noted that, workers’
productivity loss compromises the profits, which are further reduced by high medical costs.
These reduce the firm’s profits and further investments. Therefore, by the sixth and seventh
years, when the infected employee decides to resign or dies, the cost to the sector could
include termination costs such as pension, provident funds, funeral expenses and any other
retirement and/or termination benefits (Commission Africa undated). This affects economic
growth because money which was supposed to increase production will be diverted to
pension or benefits of an infected person which may not be budgeted for thereby
compromising production.
HIV/AIDS will have a substantial impact on the government budget, especially under the
current scenario of nationwide provision of free ART. The total cost in 2006 is estimated at 1
billion Pula in Botswana which is equivalent to approximately 6% of government spending
(Econsult, 2007). These costs include health care costs relating to in-patients, ambulatory
patients and the ART programme, as well as related costs such as home-based care,
prevention activities, other HIV/AIDS programmes, care of orphans and vulnerable children,
and additional old aged pensions. The cost of ART drugs is the largest single component of
overall costs scenario of nationwide provision of free ART. In the early 1990s, the World
Bank developed a model to calculate the macroeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS according to
losses in per capita gross domestic product (PC/GDP) for countries with high HIV prevalence
rates. The result of this exercise was that, on average, the 10 most affected African countries
were losing 0.6 percent of PC/GDP growth per year due to HIV and AIDS (Yeager, 2003).
This shows that, HIV and AIDS affect national economic development because of its
combined implication on labour at industry and agriculture. FAO (2001) postulate that, the
decrease in the labour force, worker productivity, total outputs, and overall economic growth
could lead to a decline in national food supplies and a rise in food prices, including those in
urban areas. Therefore, the breakdown of commercial enterprises may undermine the
country's capacity to export and generate foreign exchange.
HIV and AIDS have also negative implications in educational sector in the sense it affects the
supply and demand sides of education. The supply of teachers is reduced by AIDS-related
illness and death, and children may be kept out of school if they are needed at home to care
for sick family members or may drop out of school for economic reasons. FAO (2001)
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revealed that, in the first 10 months of 1998, Zambia lost 1 300 teachers due to AIDS the
equivalent of two-thirds of all new teachers trained annually. Training of primary school
teachers had to be reduced from 2 years to 1 year to be able to cope with the loss of teachers
ibid. This directly compromise development because funds will directed to train teachers for
replacing those who are chronically ill and those who die of HIV and AIDS. HIV and AIDS
increase consumption rate as well as reducing educational quality in the sense that, infected
teachers will need replacement by temporary teachers who are inexperienced also those who
are on sick leave will need to be paid as well as their replacement thereby increasing
consumption. Moreover, the capabilities of the future labour force are jeopardised by
reductions in education. HIV/AIDS can affect school attendance at different levels of
education at all levels of prevalence, but it appears to have the greatest impact on primary
school enrolment in the higher-prevalence countries. For example, the proportion of children
enrolled in Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe has decreased by 42.1, 18 and 14.5 per cent
respectively (Coulibaly, 2005).
HIV and AIDS is also a threat to food production which is also a development issue. The
economy of Sub Saharan African Countries is primarily agrarian. For example in Kenya
agricultural sector employs 80% of the labour force and accounts for about 30% of the
country’s GDP and 70% of export earnings (Were and Nafula 2003). The consequences of
HIV/AIDS for agriculture are the loss of labour supply and diminished labour productivity
and this directly cause economic decline because of reduced GDP as well as reduced savings.
In addition, HIV and AIDS increase the consumption in the sense that it increases the demand
for health services as well as reducing agricultural production due to labour shortage.
Coulibaly (2005) noted that, a reduction in the agricultural labour force has significant effects
on the size of harvests and so reduces household production and income, and inability to
work or diversion of agricultural labour to care for sick household members reduces labour
productivity. Increasingly, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is having a major impact on nutrition,
food security, agricultural production and rural societies in many African countries. FAO
(2001) postulate that, the negative impact of HIV/AIDS on nutrition and food security
expands from the household to the community to different parts of the country. When the
AIDS patient dies, expenditures are incurred for the funeral and the productive capacity of
the household is reduced.
Moreover women are more vulnerable to HIV infection as compared to men. In support to
this view Were and Nafula (2003) postulate that, it is well acknowledged that HIV/AIDS has
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gender differential impacts, with females being more vulnerable. The majority of people who
work in the agricultural sector, particularly in the rural areas are women. In Sub Saharan
Africa women contribute 80% of agricultural labour and they play a major role in enhancing
food security at both household and national levels. Since women are more infected by HIV
than men, agricultural labour will be affected greatly being diverted to care for the sick and
seeking for medication when a women is ill thereby compromising food security. The high
infections and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS affects the role of women in food production and
production of social capital in the ‘care’ economy. Considering the impact of HIV/AIDS on
women and the role of women especially in food production, food security and export
production are at threat. This limits development because national or household funds will be
diverted to health and food at the expense of other development projects.
Poor health, particularly by HIV/AIDS, has been cited by Were and Nafula (2003) as a major
cause of poverty, affecting poor people’s productivity. Therefore, deaths of breadwinners
increase the poverty situation and vulnerability at the household level, which in itself might
facilitate the spread of the virus due to increased vulnerability. Moreover, death of parents
results in rising number of orphans, who have to rely on the society for their welfare hence
causing further strain on economic resources. Many in times, such children are unlikely to
afford better health care and education, which perpetuates the poverty situation.
HIV and AIDS have negative implications in economies in the sense that capital will be
diverted to health services at the expense of other economic activities which lead to economic
growth. Morbidity and mortality rates due to HIV/AIDS reduce the stock of physical capital.
Were and Nafula (2003) alludes that, HIV/AIDS is one of the most costly diseases, once it
strikes it divert resources from capital formation to health care provision and other expenses
relating to healthcare provision. Also it has exerted enormous strain on the health care
budget. The public Health system is already operating at capacity with many hospitals
overcrowded and beds frequently double/triple occupied while others sleep on the floor.
HIV/AIDS increases the number and percentage of people seeking healthcare services, and
increases the costs of health care. Therefore since in Sub Saharan Africa there is high poverty
levels people will not have access to health services more so, this reduces the money
available for the prevention and treatment of other illnesses.
Loss of lives and the resultant psychological, physical and financial stresses tampers with the
social structures and the ability to produce social capital. HIV/AIDS affects the social
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structures and traditional support mechanisms, which are considered very critical especially
in the African setting. Were and Nafula (2003) reveals that, the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS
reduces social interactions and networking among workers. Therefore, stigmatisation of
people living with HIV/AIDS may not only reduce social capital but may also stifle
innovations. HIV impairs networks and reduces incentive to invest in information and new
networks, especially those that promote and sustain economic growth. Social capital is
important for the efficiency and productivity of the productive sectors of the economy. Thus,
this could slow down the process of production and capital accumulation in the economy,
which in turn affects growth and development. HIV infections and deaths also lower (short
run) growth by retarding technical progress, reducing accumulation of assets or both.
Society at large must acknowledge the HIV/AIDS problem and accept responsibility for
addressing it. The negative impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and communities calls for
immediate action to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and mitigate its effects. Particular
support is needed to ensure that destitute children and other AIDS-affected household
members can meet their daily food and other basic needs. Ministries and other agencies
responsible for rural development need to integrate HIV/AIDS into their core rural
development policies and programmes. In many cases this involves developing and
intensifying existing work to improve rural livelihoods, but this work must be embarked upon
with increased urgency because of the impact of HIV/AIDS. Moreover in order to reduce
these implications people must be concertized about the effects of HIV and AIDS also must
be also behaviour change must be done to reduce new HIV infection. Also improve access to
condoms to people.
In conclusion one may argue that, HIV/AIDS pandemic is a major policy issue of concern
internationally, particularly in Africa where it has taken a heavy toll. HIV/AIDS is a threat to
poverty reduction initiatives, and there is no doubt that it has an effect on the country’s
economic performance. Its main effects are on diversion of resources at household and
national level to it mitigation. Also HIV is a threat to development of sub Saharan African
countries because there is high HIV prevalence.
References
Avert (2012) HIV and AIDS in Africa http://www.avert.org/hiv-aids-africa.htm
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Coulibaly, I. (2005). The impact of HIV/AIDS on the labour force in Sub-Saharan
Africa: a preliminary assessment, International Labour Office, Geneva www.ilo.org/aids
[accessed on 11/02/2013]
Economic Commission for Africa: The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia http://www.uneca.org [accessed on 11/02/2013]
FAO, (2001). THE IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS ON FOOD SECURITY. Rome, Committee
on World Food Security. http://www.fao.org/es/english/index_en.htm[accessed on
11/02/2013]
Mukusha J (2010), AN ANALYSIS OF THE VALUE OF PEER EDUCATION IN
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and Religious Studies, Great Zimbabwe University
Rodger Yeager (2003) HIV/AIDS: Implications for Development and Security in Sub-
Saharan Africa, Civil-Military Alliance Switzerland
Were, M. and N. N. Nafula (2003) AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS
ON ECONOMIC GROWTH: THE CASE OF KENYA. Kenya Institute for Public Policy
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White, J. and Robinson, E. (2000). HIV/AIDS AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN SUB-
SAHARAN AFRICA. Policy Series 6. Chatham, UK: Natural Resources Institute.
Econsult, (2007).The Economic Impact of HIV/AIDS in Botswana Executive Summary
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