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Social Problems Bonus Paper

The document emphasizes the urgent need for global action to combat HIV/AIDS, particularly in developing nations, as the dismantling of USAID threatens access to essential treatments. It highlights the economic and social repercussions of the virus, including the orphaning of millions of children, and calls for increased accountability in international aid funding. The author advocates for comprehensive strategies, including education and healthcare infrastructure improvements, to eradicate the virus and promote global health.

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4 views

Social Problems Bonus Paper

The document emphasizes the urgent need for global action to combat HIV/AIDS, particularly in developing nations, as the dismantling of USAID threatens access to essential treatments. It highlights the economic and social repercussions of the virus, including the orphaning of millions of children, and calls for increased accountability in international aid funding. The author advocates for comprehensive strategies, including education and healthcare infrastructure improvements, to eradicate the virus and promote global health.

Uploaded by

nottheredbarron
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Global Action for a Healthier World: Eradicating the Virus

William C Heard

Department of Sociology, Seminole State College

Social Problems-SOC 2123 01

Professor Kendall Rogers

05/04/2025
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With the upcoming dismantlement of USAID, it is more important than ever to

make sure that we stand up and fight for the developing world and guarantee their

access to proper and effective HIV treatment. While the virus infection rate may not

pose a direct threat to the United States, it is imperative that we take decisive action to

contain and eradicate it globally, as doing so is essential for promoting overall global

health, reducing the economic burden of international aid, and minimizing the number of

children left orphaned. By investing in comprehensive vaccination programs,

strengthening healthcare infrastructures in vulnerable regions, and fostering

international collaborations, we not only safeguard future generations from potential

outbreaks but also bolster global stability and security, ultimately creating a healthier,

more resilient world for all.

Although in the United States, the rate of transmission and infection of HIV has

dropped dramatically due to advancement in science, it should be noted that not every

country has the same access to the much-needed medication that has been developed.

As Carvalho (2009) states “By far, the greatest emerging threat internationally is HIV

because developing nations, especially those in Africa, are experiencing the enormous

influence of this virus.” And “To make matters worse, the distress caused by HIV/AIDS is

somewhat of an underestimate, because persons presently infected will eventually die if

a cure is not discovered—creating further instability at the geopolitical, economic, and

social levels and reversing progress in many societies for decades while simultaneously

contributing to the geographical expansion of the virus.” And we as a society can


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prevent that from happening. By pressuring our government officials, both the

representatives in the House and the Senate to take a stand and stop the tearing down

of one of the most needed programs that assists the entirety of the underdeveloped

world with access to life saving treatment and preventative treatment.

To reduce the economic burden there needs to be a more “hands on’ approach.

Not all of the allocated funds go to those who need it or get caught up in bureaucratic

issues. If there was more direct involvement of the donor countries, unlike the Paris

Declaration which funneled money directly to the government of the individual countries,

there would be more accountability. Research by Kelly and Birdsall (2010) found that

“The future of most CBOs and NGOs is fragile because they mainly depend on short-

term allocations of funds from donors to sustain their work. Often very limited resources

are made available for organizational running costs, salaries, and equipment. While

sub-granting mechanisms have become an important source of support for the

HIV/AIDS-related programs implemented by CBOs or NGOs in many countries, our

research found that they can be inefficient, slow, and highly bureaucratic in their

administration of funds. It was not uncommon to hear about delays of several months in

the disbursement of approved funds, for example, resulting in the interruption of

services and sometimes in the complete cessation of a CBO’s or NGO’s work.” With

community-based organizations shutting down and non-governmental organizations not

being able to fulfill the needs of the communities most in need, where are the people

supposed to turn to, its not their own government, it ours.


4

According to AIDS CARE (2023), in South Africa alone there are more than three

million children that have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS. These children are forced to

endure many traumatizing experiences including poverty, hunger, stigma, lack of basic

care, and exposure to physical or sexual violence. In many different studies it has been

shown that not only does it have an effect on the physical well-being of the child, but

also the psychological. Children tend to internalize their feelings more, which often lead

to outbursts of anger and violence. They also have reported increased mental health

difficulties, such as depression, suicidal ideation, sleep disturbances, and other

psychological disorders. They should not have to endure this when there are options

that are available to their parents that are just out of reach.

There are many ways to stop this we just have to make them available. Safe

practices when it comes to sex, harm reduction when using drugs, education on

transmission and getting tested to stop the spread of the disease. Just those minor

changes would go a long way to end the fight against HIV/AIDS. While the virus

infection rate may not pose a direct threat to the United States, it is imperative that we

take decisive action to contain and eradicate it globally, as doing so is essential for

promoting overall global health, reducing the economic burden of international aid, and

minimizing the number of children left orphaned. We could be the generation that

eradicates this disease from the earth if we just try. We have all the tools, there is no

reason we can not.


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References

Allman, M., Penner, F., Hernandez Ortiz, J., Marais, L., Rani, K., Lenka, M., Cloete, J., &
Sharp, C. (2023). Hope and mental health problems among orphans and
vulnerable children in South Africa. AIDS Care, 35(2), 198–204.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2022.2104795
Carvalho, J. J. (2009). Our Common Enemy: Combatting the World’s Deadliest Viruses
to Ensure Equity Health Care in Developing Nations. Zygon: Journal of Religion
& Science, 44(1), 51–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9744.2009.00985.x
Kelly, K., & Birdsall, K. (2010). The effects of national and international HIV/AIDS
funding and governance mechanisms on the development of civil-society
responses to HIV/AIDS in East and Southern Africa. AIDS Care, 22(sup2), 1580–
1587. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2010.524191

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