Need help understanding the AIDS epidemic in Africa?

I have a problem understanding why AIDS is such a problem in Africa and I hope someone can explain why it is such a problem. Everyone has been taught that condoms help prevent AIDS, I know billions of dollars have been sent to Africa to solve the AIDS problem, why aren't condoms being purchased with all of that money and why aren't they being taught about how to prevent AIDS, I am sure that there has been enough money shipped there to do this, and if condoms are being purchased for them then why aren't they using them? If they aren't using them than the problems of AIDS will never go away, so why is so much money still poured into that country if nothing is going to fix it, I don't mean to sound heartless, I just want to understand why this continues to be a problem when it could of been solved already before all of those people suffered and died?Thanks in advance

Hi Squidy
I sort of understand your frustration and anger at a problem of such magnitude.

As someone who has worked woth a lot of AIDS groups in Africa I will try and give you some responses I got doing some research.

1. Some people in Africa still believe that AIDS was a disease created by the white man to wipe out the black race. Therefore the concept of Condoms which are also being distributed for free by the white man looks a little suspicious.

2. There are gorups of people including renowned doctors and researchers who are still against the notion that HIV causes AIDS and consequently death. These people are playing on the fears of the Africans and are further strengthening their beliefs.

3. The African tradition puts the man on a higher position than the woman. This means that the woman does what the man wants. Including agreeing to unprotected sex without questions.

4. Lack of education. There are still people who believe that sex education in schools should be abolished even in the US. Its even worse in Africa where peole believe that talking about it is a sin.

5. Poverty. A lot of people in Africa can aon afford condoms every time they are going to have sex. Some people have to make a choice between buying condoms and skipping the days meal.

6. Religion. The catholic religion dicourages the use of condoms at any time.

7. Corruption. Some of the money given to the African governments ends in the pockets of the leaders.

8. Children. A lot of people in Africa still dont have the basic family planning and reproductive health servises available to them so they produce a lot of children further deepening the poverty situation.

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One word education. the population think its a whitemans diesese and wont accept the consequences, also people need to be educated. Condomize

Are you kidding me? They don't use condoms. They refuse. Remember, men rule over there. They will not use them. Of course they tried it. There is nothing that can be done for anyone who refuses to use protection or to become educated about the disease, how it's spread.

Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as all that. Condoms are actually a social change that needs to take place. The religious values and such there do not denote the use. Also, due to some genocide there are far more men than women. It's all a vicious cycle.

I don't know why Africa has so many social problems in general. There's also quite a bit of taboos in those countries along with conspiracy theories that this is somehow the white man's fault.

I'm by no means an expert on the subject, I just have some ideas. First, many live below poverty. Having sex and having children, sometimes many of them, will ensure that hopefully one of them will survive to care for elderly parents when the time comes. It might not seem the right thing to do to avoid getting pregnant. Second, their belief system might have something to do with that. Being undereducated is also a problem. Not understanding why you have to do a certain thing. Remote housing. Some of these people could live too far from getting any type of counseling or help. Their most immediate need is probably getting food on the table and nothing else. If they do get condoms and are being told about hygiene and such, they may not follow through with it consistently. I mean, AIDS is not just in Africa, but here in the US where people are generally educated and not living below poverty levels. It is impossible to eradicate it here, much less in Africa given their circumstances. I doubt that the people there have any access to any type of media to learn more about it, nor the means to do anything.