Political and socio-economic instability: does it have a role in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa?

Abstract

Many sub-Saharan African countries are confronted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This article reviews academic literature in the social sciences and health to discover why HIV/AIDS has become an epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa and not in other parts of the world. This was studied by examining the social determinants of diminishment of tradition and social cohesion in terms of political, social and economic problems. Four countries in this region were selected for this case study, namely South Africa, Botswana, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The findings showed that instability in socio-economic and political aspects in these nations was responsible for creating a suitable environment for the spread of HIV/AIDS infection. This paper concludes by using the theories of collective action/responsibility and social cohesion to hypothesise that the breakdown of social ties due to various kinds of conflicts and unrest is one of the main contributors to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Impact of a critical health workforce shortage on child health in Zimbabwe: a country case study on progress in child survival, 2000–2013

“…Zimbabwe has experienced a prolonged socio-economic collapse resulting in the deterioration of the national health system and a decline in the availability of public health services (Ojikutu et al 2008, Osika et al 2010, ZMOHCW, 2010a, ZMOHCW, 2010b, Premkumar and Tebandeke, 2011, Chirisa et al 2015). In this context, this study found that Zimbabwe’s critical health workforce shortage and diminished opportunities for professional training and education were consistently reported as a barrier to the availability, quality, and utilization of MNCH services between 2000 and 2013, thus hindering progress towards MDG#4.…”

“…Zimbabwe’s lack of progress in improving child survival reflects significant economic, social, political, environmental and health-related challenges the country has faced over the past few decades as described in more detail by others (Ojikutu et al 2008, Premkumar and Tebandeke, 2011, Chirisa et al 2015) and the Zimbabwe reports referenced below. Following its independence through the 1980s, Zimbabwe was widely recognized for its robust health delivery system, high-quality clinical services and major gains in coverage of effective interventions associated with child survival (Osika et al 2010).…”

The Evolving Landscape of Medical Device Regulation in East, Central, and Southern Africa

“…The instability within African nations, particularly those who have become independent in more recent years, has produced conditions which reduce the effectiveness of governance structures. 53 Country governments may prioritize other health goals including poverty alleviation, the expansion of access to health care and the reduction of communicable diseases, which may be viewed as less consequential to the health and well-being of citizens. 54 GDP and GDP per capita are both measures of economic conditions.…”

Chronic Political Instability and the HIV/AIDS Response in Guinea-Bissau from 2000 to 2015: A Systematic Review

“…Indeed, the importance of developing an explicit political epidemiology of HIV and translating it into public health research has been emphasized [26]. The conducive environment that political instability creates for HIV/AIDS in the sub-Saharan African setting has been described [27], and links between income, HIV/AIDS, and political instability as predictors of mortality have been established [28]. An important challenge comes from the fact that the effects of political instability on health outcomes are not easily quantitatively measured, standard frameworks and measurement tools are missing, and the potential for mutual learning between the fields of political science and public health has not yet been fully unlocked [29][30][31].…”