Why Does Ghana Has Less AIDS in the Sub-Saharan Africa?

¶ … AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa?

AIDS in Ghana

AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, has devastated much of Africa, hitting this continent worse than any other in the world. In fact, in the year 2000, 80% of the world's total AIDS-related deaths were within Africa. (BBC 2000) One of the areas hit the hardest by this virus has been the Sub-Saharan region. Ghana, within that region, has also been ravaged by AIDS, but it has a significantly lower percentage of AIDS cases than much of the rest of Africa. While the AIDS within Ghana has many of the same causes and effects on the people who are infected with the disease, it is a unique situation within Africa because of its particular effects on the women of the country, and the fact that there are comparatively fewer AIDS cases within this country.

The first reported cases of AIDS in Ghana were in 1986, mostly appearing in women who had traveled outside of the country. The AIDS problem quickly escalated, and by 1999 there were nearly 40,000 cases were recorded. (Ghana AIDS Commision [1] 2003) This problem has rapidly increased. "Currently, the national adult prevalence rate is 3.4%. This is almost a 50% increase in the last two years." (Quist-Arcton 2003) Like most of Africa, the most vulnerable age group is between 15-49, due in large part to those being the most sexually active years. Contrary to common misconceptions that AIDS is a homosexual disease, in Ghana heterosexual transmission accounts for 75-80%. Transmission from mother to child is 15% of cases, and transmission through blood is 5% of cases. (Ghana AIDS Commision [1] 2003)

The causes of high AIDS transmission in Ghana are many. Poverty is a large contributing factor, leading to a lifestyle in which casual and promiscuous sex is rampant, and many people are forced into the sex work industry to feed themselves and their families. Poverty also leads to poor health care and education, which are significant factors. There is a low level of condom use because of illiteracy and uneducation

There is a highly mobile population in Ghana, between long-distance drivers and rural/urban migrators, which also leads to a great deal of casual sex. Polygamy and the oppression of women also leads to many infections.

In fact, the situation of women with AIDS in Ghana is particularly dismal.

According to the Ghana AIDS Commission, "63% of all the Aids' cases are women." (Quist-Arcton 2003) Other disturbing statistics include that "out of the 33.6 million people with HIV / AIDS, 14.8 million are women; of the 5 million newly HIV infected adults in 1999 2.3 million are women; Out of the 2.1 million deaths from AIDS, 1.1 million were women; and 12-13 women in Africa get HIV infected for every 10 men in Africa." (Ghana AIDS Commision [2] 2003)

This is due in large part to rampant misogyny of the region. Women are taught that men are the decision makers and women must do as they are told by the men, who will often force women into compromising sexual positions. "When women were asked what were the consequences of their refusal to have sex with their spouses who have high-risk sexual behavior, they indicated that they were beaten by their husbands." (Ghana AIDS Commision [2] 2003)

Many women are also forced socially into becoming sex workers, or are involved in polygamous relationships where the husband may transfer AIDS from one wife to another. Finally, female genital mutilation is commonplace, and this horrific operation is rarely performed with sterilized instruments.

These staggering statistics of AIDS infection among women have disturbing implications for society in Ghana.

Most food producers in Ghana are female, which means that as the female population becomes infected there will be lower food production. On a national level, AIDS may force the population to change their eating habits and perhaps even turn to imported foods. Most teachers are also female, which means that the educational system will be negatively affected. This is a particular problem because education is one of the key factors in stopping the spread of AIDS. Most of the health care workers are also female, which means that there will be fewer health services available, which again directly impacts those infected with AIDS and leads to further spread of the disease. A final problem that women with AIDS face is the fact that they may pass the disease on to their children through birth or breast feeding. (Ghana AIDS Commision [2] 2003)

The fact remains, however, that Ghana has a low incidence of AIDS compared to much of Africa.