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Aids in Africa

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Aids in Africa
The Price of Life in the Name of Globalization

Is there a price for life? If so what is it? The issue here concerns South Africa 's growing HIV/AIDS patients. The world non-the-less isn 't doing much about the situation that only seems to be getting worse. South Africa already has the highest growing HIV/AIDS rate in the world. The pharmaceutical companies offered very little medical donations or help; they ended up doing quite the opposite. When South Africa attempted to import generic versions of the needed HIV/AIDS drugs because of their drastically cheaper prices the pharmaceutical companies replied by taking them to court. How is this fair? Is this the price the poor, developing nations have to pay because their system abides with international laws and regulations? South Africa 's manufacturing or importing of generic AIDS treatment drugs is illegal, non the less it 's primary motivation is the protect it 's own people from a disease threatening to it 's population not because it was pursuing profit.
HIV/AIDS infection rate in South Africa is the highest in the world and thus a serious problem. The United Nations reports an estimated 7.5 million HIV/AIDS patients by the year 2010 in South Africa. This number is so huge it portrays the scale of the problem. In another study published by "Women 's International Network News" performed by non-governmental organizations estimates that fifteen percent of Adults aged 20 to 64 are now infected with the deadly virus. Statistics lead scientists to fear the worst with up to 25 percent of women being diagnosed as HIV-positive, and nearly 30 percent of women giving birth are diagnosed with the deadly virus (Nicolo,Itano). The worst predictions fear that up to 800,000 South Africans could die of AIDS alone in the year 2010. The future of South Africa is not bright at all but rather plagued with problems caused by the deadly virus.
South Africa needs the HIV/AIDS treatment because of both the scale of the


Cited: Achmat, Zackie. "Most South Africans Cannot Afford Anti-HIV Drugs." British Medical Journal 324 (01/26/2002): 217. Academic Search Elite. Online. EBSCOhost. "A War Over Drugs and Patents." Economist 358 (03/10/2001): 43. Baleta, Adele. "Firms Take South Africa 's Government To Court." Lancet 357 (03/10/2001): 775 Golden, Fredric. "Cut-Rate AIDS." Time 157 (03/19/2001): 68. Academic Search Elite. Online. EBSCOhost. 13 April 2002. Henderson, CW. "South Africa Cautions About AIDS Drug Offer." World Disease Weekly (05/28/2000): 17. Academic Search Elite. Online. EBSCOhost. Henderson, CW. "With Cheaper AIDS Drugs, Help Out Of Reach For Most Africans." AIDS Weekly (05/22/2000): 19. Academic Search Elite. Online. EBSCOhost. 13 April 2002. "HIV/AIDS: South Africa Cases Could Total 7.5 Million by 2010." Women 's International Network News 27 (Autumn 2001): 26. Academic Search Elite. Online. EBSCOhost. 13 April 2002. Itano, Nicole. "S. Africa Faces Suit Over Cheap AIDS Drug." Christian Science Monitor (8/2/2001): 6. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. 13 April 2002 "Patent Problem Pending." Economics 361 (10/27/2001): 14
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