Matthew Heyes / 1st May / Population
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804300247.html
The population is growing rapidly in Uganda as well as in many developing countries. Uganda population is estimated at about 30 million and the women on average bear seven children. Mother-to-child transmission accounted for 22% of new infections of HIV/AIDS but only 25% of the babies born to HIV-infected mothers contracted the virus.
The rapid population growth is making it hard for the country to effectively fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. The director general said that "An estimated 1.1 million people are infected with HIV but 90% of them do not know that they are infected." New infections need to be prevented so that the levels of HIV/AIDS infections can be halted and eventually reduced, there are 30,000 annually. HIV-related deaths are on the rise and have increased from 72,000 a year a few years ago to 100,000 last year, around a 30% increase. Only half of those needing drugs are currently getting them although the intentions are to make drugs available to more people than currently need them due to this rapid growth. The AIDS commission has drawn a five-year strategic plan emphasizing prevention as opposed to treatment.
1 comment:
HIV/AIDS is a scary thing, and I definitely think something needs to be done with the quickly growing populations in places where AIDS runs rampant because the quick growth is only making the problem worse.
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