That news is wonderful. When I lived in the Congo, everyone who contracted HIV, died of AIDS - and some didn't live more than a matter of months. I had friends who would appear perfectly healthy when i would see them, then when I saw them a few months later, I would not really recognize many of them. The ones who had the HIV virus would often get Malaria, and with the lack of drugs to treat the malaria, it would weaken the body to the point the AIDS would kick in quickly and just take over the body completely in just a short time. Many dies of the malaria, due to their weakened systems and lack of medication.
You consider this is a country where the main military hospital in the capital city did not have even aspirin tablets much of the time ... The pharmacies had imported malaria treatment meds, but the cost (around $35.00 for the entire course of treatment) was just too much for people who existed on a mere few dollars a day.
This is another drain on our economy, I know. But I would much prefer to see these programs continued and the programs to other nations for military assistance, or programs of any sort to such nations as Pakistan, stopped, if need be, to continue these humanitarian programs.
One thing for sure, the Sub-Saharan African peoples do appreciate help. |
