Hiv And East Africa

By tracing the shadow of the epidemic over the last 30 years in Uganda and more broadly in the region, HIV and East Africa investigates the impact of the epidemic on people’s lives and livelihoods, placing the epidemic within the context of the social, political and economic changes that have occurred over the last three decades. Whilst it inevitably touches on loss and suffering, the message is also about managing the impact of an epidemic which has had a profound impact on many lives. When one looks for traces in southern Uganda, once thought to be the epicentre of the epidemic, it is hard to see any lasting impact at a community wide level. Delve deeper and there are scars to be found among families and patterns of change which are a direct result of the epidemic The book goes on to explore the effect of improved treatment and care on perceptions of the epidemic and concludes by putting HIV into the context of other disease outbreaks, reflecting on what we can learn from the history of other epidemics as well as the last 30 years of the HIV epidemic.

Two of the most important questions in modern African history are the causes of its population explosion, and the origins of the HIV pandemic. Before HIV shows that the more permissive sexual culture which permitted HIV to spread so quickly can be traced back to the mid-20th century, when new patterns of socialization and sexual networking emerged.

This book provides an overview of the current epidemiology of the HIV epidemic among young people in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and examines the efforts to confront and reduce the high level of new HIV infections amongst young people. Taking a multi-dimensional approach to prevention, the contributors discuss the many challenges facing these efforts, in view of the slow progress in curbing the incidence of HIV amongst young people, focusing particularly on the structural and social drivers of HIV. Through an examination of these issues, chapters in this book provide valuable insights on how to mitigate HIV risk among young people and what can be regarded as the catalysts to mounting credible policy and programmatic responses required to achieve epidemic control in the region. The contributors draw on examples from a range of primary and secondary data sources to illustrate promising practices and challenges in HIV prevention, demonstrating links between conceptual approaches to prevention and lessons learnt from implementation projects in the region. Bringing together social scientists and public health experts who are actively engaged in finding effective solutions, the book discusses ‘which interventions works’, ‘why they work’, and the limitations and gaps in our knowledge to curb the pandemic amongst young people. As such it is an important read for researchers focusing on HIV/AIDS and public health. The Open Access version of this book, available at https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/10.4324/9780429462818 has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Publisher Description

This comprehensive reference book addresses the unique challenges facing many African nations as poor infrastructure and economics continue to obstruct access to advanced treatments and AIDS care training. It takes into account the context of settings with limited resources. Information on how to best utilize existing resources and prioritize scaling-up of infrastructure is a critical aspect of this book for those working in HIV/AIDS-related fields in Africa.

The true-life story of how three men helped save the lives and families of thousands living with HIV/AIDS in East Africa. ​Written by three co-founders of CARE for AIDS—a nonprofit providing support for men and women living with HIV/AIDS in East Africa—Beyond Blood is the true-life account of how three men from drastically different backgrounds came together to form a grassroots nonprofit that has empowered thousands of HIV-positive people in East Africa to live lives beyond AIDS. This is the story of how Justin T. Miller, an American Vanderbilt undergraduate student, met Duncan Kimani Kamau and Cornel Onyango Nyaywera, two men who had grown up witnessing firsthand the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS in their own communities in Kenya. Though Kamau and Nyaywera grew up in opposite ends of the country and came from opposing tribes, they overcame prejudice and cultural expectations to bring healing to their communities. With Miller’s help, their dream of empowering people to live a life beyond AIDS became a reality. Once Kamau, Miller, and Nyaywera realized their common purpose, CARE for AIDS was born. But it was only the beginning of their fight against AIDS, as they quickly discovered the fear and stigma that blanketed the disease. If their fledgling nonprofit was going to empower anyone, they would need help—and they found it, one local church at a time. As they slowly but steadily grew their network of friends and allies, Kamau, Miller, and Nyaywera discovered that the most complex problems can be solved through intentional, redemptive relationships.

The book focuses on street children's lives and health status in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, the strengths and weaknesses of existing public policies, and makes recommendations for remedies.