The Global Repercussions of HIV/AIDS

Despite awareness of the increased interconnectivity of the modern world, many people still perceive the HIV/AIDS epidemic as an issue whose impact is isolated to the developing world. Today, on World AIDS Day, it is important to realize that HIV/AIDS is a global epidemic that has global repercussions.

While HIV/AIDS support is usually considered to be a purely altruistic cause, this issue is more than just a matter of conscience. Support for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in highly affected regions would have a positive effect on the rest of the world. The implementation of preventative measures against HIV/AIDS would benefit the developed world by improving the global market, diminishing international infectious outbreaks, and reducing the strain on natural resources. For the purpose of this article, we will use the Sub-Saharan African region as a general proxy for our discussion, since it is by-and-large the focal point of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but it is important to acknowledge that the epidemic is growing rapidly in other regions of the world as well.

From a global standpoint, although the predominant majority of the HIV/AIDS-related cases come from Sub-Saharan Africa, the occurrence of the virus is rapidly increasing elsewhere—most notably in India, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. Modern transportation technology greatly increases the incidence of HIV/AIDS transmission worldwide. Reducing the occurrence of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa would reduce the transmission rates of AIDS globally. For the United States, this would mean decreased likelihood of HIV/AIDS transmission from external sources.

Reducing the occurrence of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa would also benefit the global economy in several ways. First and foremost, increased access to AIDS treatment and prevention would directly result in a larger and more productive labor force. This improvement in national economies would immediately improve the regional Sub-Saharan African market, and eventually create more global market opportunities for industries in the United States. Increased economic growth would also allow for greater investment in education in the region. Combined with improved AIDS treatment, this would develop a higher quality education system free of the detrimental effects of the disease. A better-equipped and educated workforce would further strengthen the national economy, in turn expanding the global economy.

In countries severely affected, HIV/AIDS is a large contributor to a vicious cycle in which poverty and disease continually augment one another. Decreasing the occurrence of the disease allows for higher worker productivity, which in turn lessens poverty rates. As poverty decreases, reproductive rates decrease as well due to greater access to education, employment, and resources. A lower reproductive rate and decrease in population growth would result in less strain on global resources because a fixed amount is being used among a fewer number of people. In other words, by eliminating a main factor in this poverty feedback system, the global market would have access to a greater supply of labor and resources.

While within the gates of Columbia we may feel far removed from the repercussions of HIV/AIDS, a short subway ride is all it takes to witness the full force of the epidemic in New York City. The New York City Department of Health estimates that more than 100,000 New Yorkers are infected with HIV/AIDS, although many are not even aware of the fact. In New York City, HIV is the third-leading cause of death below age 65 and is the disease with the greatest racial disparity, according to recent statistics. Head up to the Bronx, and you’ll find the area with the highest rate of deaths due to AIDS in the country. The disease has affected the Columbia University community as well, and many students, staff, and faculty have passed away due to the virus. (These names will be recited at a vigil on World AIDS Day, December 1st, on the Steps of Low).

These past points are just a general introduction to the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, and possible outcomes of increasing access to preventative measures and treatments. HIV/AIDS is a concern for everyone on this planet, not just those living in highly affected regions. During World AIDS Week the Columbia University Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC) will be holding events around campus to remind ourselves and others of the far-reaching effects of HIV/AIDS, and why the global community should care about this global epidemic.

Nora Hirshman is a Barnard College sophomore. Jodie Liu is a Columbia College first-year. They are both General Body Representatives for SGAC. Amirah Sequeira is a Columbia College first-year. She is the treasurer of SGAC.

By Nora Hirshman, Jodie Liu, Amirah Sequeira
Published December 01, 2008
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Do you think that HIV/AIDS is a global epidemic, as the authors posit?

Do you feel removed from the effects of HIV/AIDS?

This article was written by College students. What do you think of their writing?
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