4 ms·

In 2002, I was back in my hometown after some years away. By then they estimated that HIV infection was running at 1/3 of the population. I had a job that took

In 2002, I was back in my hometown after some years away. By then they estimated that HIV infection was running at 1/3 of the population. I had a job that took me most days to the local cemetery, and was harrowed by the next round of graves freshly dug, most three foot long. I imagine you can guess why they were so short. And if that sounds angry, it is anger - still - but not directed at you, OP. I went to the hospital on one occasion to see the child of a friend, a little boy called AK, draw his last breath. His name was a reference to the machine gun; a child of a revolution I didn’t understand. I’m not sure why I write this. I never really spoke of it before. I think I found your comment deeply moving.

divbzero 6y ago
Your story is heartbreaking. Thank you for sharing. I would love to learn more about your hometown and hope it has fared better since 2002.
JordanFarmer 6y ago
Sorry... Trying to understand. Are you saying that all these little kids died of aids? How did they contract it? Most kids are 3 feet tall by age three or four. Also, why so many deaths in 2002? Very effective drugs had been widely available for a long time.
- ReptileMan 6y ago
  Kids got it trough birth/breastfeeding. Combine that with AK, 2002 - I would guess somewhere in the southern half of Africa. I guess that it was combination of medicine not being cheap and IIRC some political leaders in the region were downplaying HIV by that time.
  - bobthemover 6y ago
    Also corruption, ideology and ignorance. https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/the-virodene-affair-i https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/the-virodene...
- masklinn 6y ago
  > Most kids are 3 feet tall by age three or four. Also, why so many deaths in 2002? Very effective drugs had been widely available for a long time. Effective HIV suppression is not cheap, and usually out of reach of developing countries or poor communities such as… pretty much all of sub-saharan africa, where the AIDS pandemic remains essentially unchecked. According to wikipedia, as of 2016, 8 countries had more than 10% of the population infected and two of them (Swaziland / Eswatini and Lesotho) were above 25%: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_Africa#/media/File:HIV_in_Africa_2011.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_Africa#/media/File... Given mother-to-child transmission is somewhere between 15 and 45% without mitigation measures (which are unlikely to be in place in a country where a quarter of the population is infected), we're talking 5~10% of children born infected.

divbzero 6y ago

Your story is heartbreaking. Thank you for sharing. I would love to learn more about your hometown and hope it has fared better since 2002.

JordanFarmer 6y ago

Sorry... Trying to understand. Are you saying that all these little kids died of aids? How did they contract it? Most kids are 3 feet tall by age three or four. Also, why so many deaths in 2002? Very effective drugs had been widely available for a long time.

ReptileMan 6y ago
Kids got it trough birth/breastfeeding. Combine that with AK, 2002 - I would guess somewhere in the southern half of Africa. I guess that it was combination of medicine not being cheap and IIRC some political leaders in the region were downplaying HIV by that time.
- bobthemover 6y ago
  Also corruption, ideology and ignorance. https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/the-virodene-affair-i https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/the-virodene...
masklinn 6y ago
> Most kids are 3 feet tall by age three or four. Also, why so many deaths in 2002? Very effective drugs had been widely available for a long time. Effective HIV suppression is not cheap, and usually out of reach of developing countries or poor communities such as… pretty much all of sub-saharan africa, where the AIDS pandemic remains essentially unchecked. According to wikipedia, as of 2016, 8 countries had more than 10% of the population infected and two of them (Swaziland / Eswatini and Lesotho) were above 25%: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_Africa#/media/File:HIV_in_Africa_2011.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS_in_Africa#/media/File... Given mother-to-child transmission is somewhere between 15 and 45% without mitigation measures (which are unlikely to be in place in a country where a quarter of the population is infected), we're talking 5~10% of children born infected.