What AIDS Means in a Famine

With 29 million Africans infected with H.I.V. and a life expectancy of under 40 for countries hit hardest by the disease, the last thing African governments need is a famine. Without assistance from resource-poor African governments, African families will have to develop new tactics to confront the dual threat of H.I.V. and famine. Prior to the outbreak of AIDS, families were experts at dealing with famine. Mothers taught skills critical for survival to the next generation and death was common only in cases of the very young and the elderly. However, as AIDS claims more and more mothers, families suffer greater peril in times of famine. Unless the international community takes action to combat both threats, Africa will be doomed to suffer even more for many years to come. - YaleGlobal