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June 04, 2006
So, Where Were You During the Great Holocaust?
Slowed but unchecked, the epidemic's relentless march has established footholds in the world's most populous countries. Advances in medicine and prevention that have made the disease manageable in the developed world haven't reach the rest.In the worst case, sub-Saharan Africa, it has been devastating. And the next 25 years of AIDS promise to be deadlier than the first.
AIDS could kill 31 million people in India and 18 million in China by 2025, according to projections by U.N. population researchers. By then in Africa, where AIDS likely began and where the virus has wrought the most devastation, researchers said the toll could reach 100 million.
This, for a disease we could have gotten under control if we were willing to tell big pharma that it needed to make a little less profit, and spend on people a portion of the money we spend annually on perfumes, or on toys for our cats and dogs.
Posted by zeynep at June 4, 2006 12:08 PM
Comments
100 million. What can you say? I have written letters to all the big pharmaceuticals asking them to make available lots of cheap anti-retrovirals, I don't know what else to do. I just slam my (computer) mouse down in frustration, that's all I feel I can do sometimes, when I read this stuff. Why don't we care more? Care enough to stop this?
It was just bizarre sitting here in London today, the sun shining, cool, clean water on tap, plenty of food in the house... knowing that in some countries in S.Subharan Africa 1 in 3 kids will soon be orphans, that in Botswana 40% of women going to ante-natal clinics are HIV-postive, 25 million dead, 31 million infected... 100 million by 2025? I just despair. I just despair.
Posted by: Trep at June 7, 2006 07:29 PM
I hate to tell you this, but, HIV is spread to other humans by other humans. It is not the fault of drug manufacturers that dumbasses are screwing themselves into extinction. Any idiot in the REAL WORLD knows this basic shit, and yet the disease just spreads. Condoms, anti-retros, and US money won't stop this epidemic. Millions have already been spent on these methods and nothing has changed. Oh, wait. That's wrong. It's gotten worse because of those people and their rapist culture. The only victims are the people who are forced upon, and possibly those who are being suckered into paying for a cure to a 100% preventable disease. Dumbasses.
Posted by: You people are idiots at June 20, 2006 07:03 PM