For this assignment, I have selected HIV/AIDS as the health issue and the country I have selected is Sub-Saharan Africa. 39% of the adults in Sub-Saharan Africa are on retroviral therapy. Swaziland in Sub-Sharan Africa, is the country that has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the whole of Africa and also the world. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is 27.4% (AVERT, 2017). The total population in the country in 2015 was 1,287,000. In addition to HIV/AIDS, the country is also troubled by other major health issues like Malaria, Tuberculosis, Malnutrition, Alcoholism and Tobacco Use. The population growth rate is 1.2%. The dominant religious denomination is Zionist. The other major religions are Christianity and Islam. The Commonwealth Millennium Development Goals has reduction of HIV prevalence as one of its health targets for Swaziland. The country has a ~ 80% literacy rate in men and women. It is also blessed with natural resources like gold deposits, diamond deposits, quarry stone, asbestos, coal, talc, clay, hydropower, calcite, and forest resources. ("Major problems facing Swaziland today", 2017)
The major health determinant, is the country’s socio-political environment. More than 60% of the population live in poverty. Corruption and violence from intercommunal clashes has led to neglected healthcare system and poor health care infrastructure. Lack of access to clean portable water is also a major concern in the country. The country is also facing other environmental issue like soil degradation and environmental destruction. The state of women in the country is very plightful. They are often treated as a commodity and exploited for sexual purposes. The King is treated as God and there is even a culture where virgin girls dance half naked in front of the king. The women who live in poverty have a fling with the men for money. The country is ruled by the King who is more interested in building his personal fortune and attending to his personal pleasures, than to attending to his people. Monarchy has affected the social and political growth of the country. There is very little being done at the national level in creating awareness and in creating the necessary environment to reduce the infection or to treat the cases. Sexual abuse of women and children are very high. ( Peterson, 2011; "Major problems facing Swaziland today", 2017)
The most vulnerable group in the population are women and children. Substance abuse, unwanted pregnancies, STD, lack of access to retroviral drugs and sexual harassment are high among women and children (Jones, 2006). Female genital mutilation practiced in many African culture, harms a women natural way of having sex and exposes her to a number of reproductive medical disorders (Jones, 2006). It is also associated with increased risk of complication during child birth. Incidence of rape is very high in this country and Swaziland is no exception. Sexual violence and inequality is a very important reason for high prevalence of HIV/AIDS (Jones, 2006). There is very less awareness and freedom for women to take protective measures. Young women are often ignorant about STD and there is no way they can learn about it. They are given less power in decision making and the diagnosis of the disease is often made only in a later stage, when situation goes worse. Lack of access to health care can further worsen the situation. (Peterson, 2011; "Current health issues and progress in Swaziland", 2017)
When you compare Swaziland to a developed country like the United States, with a relatively well developed and a better functioning healthcare system; the HIV prevalence in the adults in the U.S is 0.4-0.9%. Most cases of HIV/AIDS are reported in people of Afro-American descent. While the prevalence was 27.4% in Swazi- Island, in the U.S, it was between 0.5-0.9% (AVERT, 2017). U.S has a well-developed healthcare structure and people have better access to healthcare facilities when compared to Swaziland.
References
AVERT,. (2017). HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa regional overview | AVERT. Avert.org. Retrieved 12 January 2017, from http://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around- world/sub-saharan-africa/overview
AVERT,. (2017). HIV and AIDS in the United States of America (USA) | AVERT. Avert.org. Retrieved 12 January 2017, from http://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around- world/western-central-europe-north-america/usa
Current health issues and progress in Swaziland. (2017). Commonwealthhealth.org. Retrieved 12 January 2017, from http://www.commonwealthhealth.org/africa/swaziland/current_
health_issues_and_progress_in_swaziland/
Jones, L. (2006). Relationships, partnerships and politics in the lives of the urban poor in AIDS- afflicted Swaziland. African Journal of AIDS Research, 5(1), 27-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.2989/16085900609490364
Major problems facing Swaziland today. (2017). Africaw.com. Retrieved 12 January 2017, from http://www.africaw.com/major-problems-facing-swaziland-today
Mendenhall, E. & Weaver, L. (2014). Reorienting women's health in low- and middle-income countries: the case of depression and Type 2 diabetes. Global Health Action, 7(0), 22803. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v7.22803
Peterson, R. (2011). Historical and Cultural Influences on HIV Prevention in Swaziland. World Health & Population, 13(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.12927/whp.2011.22478
