Africans and the incidence of HIV/AIDS: The role of educational institutions

KUNIRUM OSIA, MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, USA
Abstract: The rate and number of HIV/AIDS infection in Africa is alarming and worsening. The design of effective prevention strategies hinges on an understanding of the multifaceted causes of the pandemic, or its regional epidemics. On this score, the role of educational institutions becomes imperative. This paper will examine available data to gauge the enormity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. The investigation will be country-specific, namely, Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Greater emphasis will be placed on the youth who appear to be much more vulnerable than adults. This paper argues that appropriate education about HIV/AIDS will go a long way to assist in the control of the epidemic. Schools are an important and indispensable forum for conveying norms and societal values that encourage young people to avoid taking the risks that make them vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Seroprevalence, Health, Africa, NEPAD, Educational Institutions