The HIV/AIDS Crisis
A child dies from an HIV/AIDS related illnesses every minute!
Approximately 2,000 children are infected with HIV every day. Millions of children around the world are affected by the crisis relating to HIV/AIDS. Children in the midst of their community silently witness their families, relatives, teachers and people in their neighbourhood suffering and dying from this devastating and stigmatising
disease.
Consequently many children miss out on their own childhoods because of the extra responsibilities they bear and the economic and social insecurity that results from the sickness or death of their parents or caregivers.
There are numerous child‐headed households where children are too young to even look after themselves. The oldest child takes on responsibilities usually carried out by parents, including providing care to other siblings. Young caregivers in child‐headed households usually drop out of school to work for survival. In addition, they and their siblings are often shunned by family, neighbours and friends because of the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS and children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. These children are often stigmatized and discriminated against, and are exposed to abuse and exploitation.
The average age in Uganda is 15, the lowest in the world. About 7 million Ugandans (35% of the population) live in poverty (UBOS, 2002). Uganda currently has close to 3 million orphaned children, the majority of whom were orphaned by HIV/AIDS (Uganda Poverty Status Report, 2003). The number is expected to rise in the next decade and this will increase the risk of children turning to the streets, and becoming beggars and thieves.
The cumulative number of HIV/AIDS deaths in Uganda since the epidemic began is estimated at 947,552 out of which 852,797 are adults, with women accounting for half (427,153) of the adult deaths. The overall HIV infection rates in Uganda declined from 15% in the early 1980’s to 8.0 % in 2000 and 6.1 % in 2001 and 6.5% in 2002 (MOH, June 2002, UNAIDS). Although Uganda is the first African country to have registered success in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the current national rate of about 6 percent is unacceptably high, and children are most seriously affected. In 2001, approximately half of all orphans were due to HIV/AIDS. Action to fight HIV/AIDS and mitigate its impact on orphans in particular and communities in general is therefore still needed.
Two of the main health issues affecting the people of Uganda include HIV/AIDS and Malaria. HIV/AIDS continues to have widespread impact on African communities. In many countries of Sub‐Saharan Africa, HIV/AIDS is decreasing life expectancy. Millions of adults are dying young or in early middle age. Average life expectancy in Sub‐Saharan Africa is now in the mid 40 years, when it could have been around the 60’s without AIDS.
The effect of the epidemic on households can be very severe, especially as many families lose their primary income earners. In other cases, income earners are forced to stay at home to care for relatives who are in poor health from HIV/AIDS. Many of those dying have partners who are themselves infected and are in need of care. They leave behind children anguished and struggling to survive without parental care.
Between 2001 and 2003, the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS increased from 11.5 million to 15 million. By 2010, the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS is expected to rise to more than 18 million. Surveys suggest that about 15% of all children orphaned by HIV/AIDS are 0‐4 years old, while 35% are 5‐9 years old. For the 28 million people living in Uganda there are just a few hospitals and many any of these hospitals are in very poor condition.
It is estimated that a child loses a parent to AIDS every 14 seconds.
HIV/AIDS Prevalence
AIDS Deaths in Uganda (adults and children) 2005 91,000
Children in Uganda (<15 years old) living with HIV/AIDS 2005 110,000
Children Orphaned by AIDS in Uganda (<18 years old) 2005 1,000,000
Adults living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda (ages 15 and over) 2005 900,000
Children Orphaned and Others Impacted by HIV/AIDS
Adult HIV prevalence in East Africa exceeds 6% in Uganda. Although HIV prevalence in Uganda is much lower than it was in earlier times, it still remains very high. The AIDS epidemic is claiming tens of thousands of lives each year
leaving behind thousands of orphaned children and grandparents, placing an additional burden on the community. As a result this severely impacts the country socially and economically.
There are many children whose parents are alive but are too ill to care for them. These children are classified as social orphans and are usually taken in by another family or left to fend for themselves. Sadly many children affected by HIV/AIDS often find themselves without family or community support once their caretakers become unwell or die. Many of them unfortunately end up living on the streets or become victims of abuse or are forced into labour as a means to survive and provide for their younger siblings. Children often take on the responsibility of caring for sick parents, ill family members or caregivers. Watching loved ones become unwell and die can cause severe emotional, physical and psychological stress on the children.
There are many elder carers who are usually older relatives and elderly community members who have taken in children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. These older carers are placed under immense pressure to find ways in which they can raise support and provide for these children when means of necessities are scarce even for themselves. As the number of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS increases, the amount of potential caregivers also lessen. As a result, orphans tend to live in bigger households headed by older relatives, usually grandmothers.