G H 574 Global Health Assessment Answers

Based on the film, "Endgame: AIDS in Black America."

How do the challenges of ending HIV/AIDS in Haiti and/or Rwanda (you may look at either or both) compare and contrast with those in the United States, as described in the video, Endgame: AIDS in Black America?what was similar between these very different places and contexts, and what was significantly different?

 

Please make sure to be very specific about the challenges, patterns of disease, co-morbidities, politics, or economics in these different settings it is not enough to write that health systems have less money or are more constrained in Haiti and Rwanda. Look beyond poverty at additional similarities and differences.

Hiv/Aids in Rwanda and USA

Endgame AIDS in black America is a film that talks about how AIDS started and spread among the gay population in America. The film compares the prevalence among the people in terms of race, age and sexual affiliations. The film explains how the disease was initially seen in white inmates who were gay of whom died within months due to incompetence in treatment methods.  The disease compares the prevention, infection and spread in several parts of the world and the influence of culture, politics and other factors that influence HIV prevalence and spread. This paper compares and contrasts the challenges of ending HIV/AIDS in the United States and in Rwanda.

According to Heald, (72) economic imbalance is one of the factors affecting the control, spread and prevention of AIDS in both the United States and in Rwanda. Being one of the third world countries in sub-saharan Africa, Rwanda cannot compete with the United States in terms of wealth since America is one of the world’s economic giants. The poverty among the Rwandese affects them in two major ways; nationally and in terms of the individual citizens. The government of Rwanda is not as competent as that of the United States in terms of disease control purchase of drugs and ensuring good medical care.

Biggar, (81) explains that political influence is another major thing that contrasts the challenges of ending AIDS in Rwanda and America. Weak political systems in Rwanda have led to crumbling of the efforts in fighting the disease. This is due to the incompetence of leaders in managing the spread and control and also due to fraud, corruption and misappropriation of funds. America enjoys liberal democracy and as a country, it is able to plan and fight AIDS among its citizens in various ways. The government is also able to implement these plans.

Cultural influence being another challenge influencing efforts of ending AIDS in both countries affects both America and Rwanda almost equally. In Rwanda, as opposed to America, gay sex may not be so much a factor since it is culturally unacceptable. However, some of the cultural practices are pose an even higher to risk than gay sex. These are practices such as traditional circumcision and wife inheritance practices. These contribute to the spread of AIDS and pose so big a challenge in ending the disease.

Basic literacy and adherence to health services among the people is another serious factor posing a significant challenge in ending and controlling the infection. The major challenges facing Rwanda can be classified as poverty and illiteracy. High illiteracy levels have made some people not to adhere to sound medical treatment in time or acceptance of ARV drugs that help to boost the immunity unlike in the United States where people are more civilized and adhere to sound medical practices El-Sadr, et al (53).

In conclusion, it is important to consider a few factors that pose equal threats in both countries such as commercial sex and risky sexual behaviors and failure to adhere to prevention methods due to ignorance and social stigmatization.

References

Biggar, RobertJ. "The AIDS problem in Africa." The Lancet 327.8472 (1986): 79-83.

El-Sadr, Wafaa M., Kenneth H. Mayer, and Sally L. Hodder. "AIDS in America—forgotten but not gone." The New England journal of medicine 362.11 (2010): 967.

Heald, Rebecca. "Endgame: AIDS in black America." The Lancet Infectious Diseases 12.10 (2012): 756.