OT <Are you sure it isn't credible>
Just because someone has a MD or PHD after their names, doesn't mean they're right.
There is a political agenda for finding other reasons for AIDS. Many Africans feel that Westerners are "blaming and shaming" them for the epidemic. For a while the President of South Africa was on record that the HIV virus did not cause AIDS. Most African governments have been extremely reluctant to push any campaigns to change sexual behaviors. As a result of this, there will be 10s of millions of unnecessary deaths.
The scientific evidence that HIV in Africa is mainly transmitted via heterosexual and mother-to-child transmission, is overwhelming. Many, many studies doing things like following a particular strain of HIV, from a group of prostitutes at a truck stop, to the truck-drivers who go through there, to their wives, and then the newborn children.
When I see one study that says one thing, and 999 that say something else, I go with the 999. Certainly, some infection happens via unclean needles. But it is a relatively minor problem.
This report will be used by African governments, as an excuse to further delay public education campaigns. The epidemic will continue until sexual practices change. Unfortunately, in societies where women are powerless (all of Africa), it is proving impossible to spread the ethic of monogamy and/or safe sex. |
