Reaching Out to HIV/AIDS Infected Children in Remote Areas of Africa

Abstract

Although statistics have shown decreases in HIV/AIDS prevalence and incidence in South Africa due to better medicines, prevention/intervention programs and volunteer organization support; the number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS is the highest in the world. This study examines current prevention and intervention programs implemented in South Africa focused on children and attempts to discover the most successful of the evaluated programs and why it has been successful.

South Africa has the highest total number of people infected with HIV/AIDS (AVERT). The focus of this study is on the children of South Africa both diagnosed HIV/AIDS and uninfected. The purpose of studying both groups of children is to investigate current methods of medical and educational intervention and prevention. This is a field research study of existing literature and studies as means of identifying factors of decreasing HIV/AIDS infections among children of South Africa. Most AIDS organizations consider the definition of a child as a person fifteen years of age or younger; even though International Law considers children to be any person under the age of eighteen (Berry, 2006). Most literature concerning children with HIV/AIDS discusses children age fifteen or younger; therefore, this study will focus on this age frame as well. It should be noted however, that this miscommunication of age ranges can cause the reporting of inaccurate statistics.

Statement of the Problem