This article focuses on issues concerning morality and AIDS education. The decision made by the Transvaal Education Department (TED) on long-term AIDS education, which may likewise be employed in the schools nationwide, raises a crucial debate concerning its moral perspectives. Guidelines say that the ultimate goal is to encourage pupils to accept a healthy and a biblically based lifestyle. The TED AIDS education program would emphasize that the solution to the AIDS problem is a biblically based lifestyle, self-control, and the ability to say "no" to sexual manipulation. Moreover, the program takes into account the perspective on life by parents in the community, their religion, their values, and their manner of teaching their children. Several comments concerning the TED approach were raised. One health educator commented that the family guidance approach adopted by the program is totally out of line with reality. Plans to introduce the AIDS education programs in schools have been welcomed, but how it is to be taught, is a matter of contention. The Department of Health however, is not yet staking out a position in this debate.
This article states that the Food and Allied Workers' Union in South Africa is pushing food employers for action on AIDS. It has formulated an AIDS policy, which calls for employers and the state to share responsibility for combating the disease, stressing that the state's response "has lacked all credibility in the eyes of our people". In addition, the union proposes an applicable workplace policy to prevent the disease and care for sufferers; a ban on the dismissal of infected workers; observance of confidentiality; voluntary testing; and infected workers should have access to health services and counseling of infected workers. Moreover, it also proposes that education should seriously address the stigma attached to the use of condoms, as well as free access to condoms supplied by the state.
The death of David Mankaba, one of Zimbabwe's top pop stars, from AIDS is expected to increase the country's awareness regarding the dangers of the disease. Mankaba is the bass guitarist of The Bhundu Boys whose "Jit" music is popular in both England and US. He was diagnosed to have tuberculosis and was later found to have AIDS. Before his death, he requested for his family to announce to the public that he had died from AIDS. This made him the first well-known Zimbabwean to declare that he is infected with the HIV virus in a country that continues to ignore the threat from AIDS despite its 9000 full-blown cases and an estimated 500,000 to over a million HIV-positive individuals. Mankaba's message is expected to play a major role in educating Zimbabweans against casual, unprotected sex and encourage them to take education campaigns more seriously. Furthermore, Mankaba's announcement is important considering that public awareness campaigns have been shown to be more effective when supported by first hand knowledge of people with AIDS.
Puppets Against AIDS, a project of the African Research and Educational Puppetry Programme, is a show performed all across Africa in order to spread the message of safe sex with the use of condoms. It is composed of Nyanga Tshabalala, Rosie Fiore, and Gary Friedman. The trio had staged some 60 performances of their show and has been seen by some 50,000 people. Aside from a dramatic performance, they also distribute condoms, hand out AIDS education pamphlets, and answer questions concerning the disease. Although the project in itself is effective, there is still a lot more to be done. Health workers say more people come to them for condoms after the show, but often they do not have any to give them. This poses a big problem on the prevention program since people will just go back to the very same things if condoms are not available. In addition, the lack of resources contributes to the frustrations of workers in bringing information to far-flung areas. Moreover, the social circumstances of many people make AIDS education all the more difficult.
A recent study, which used sophisticated economic modeling techniques, concluded that forecasts of the economic impact of AIDS have been overblown and alarming. Although the report does not minimize the vast human tragedy in South Africa, it emphasizes that faulty research leading to huge total costs creates a sense of helplessness and paralysis in the face of the epidemic. It further states that pessimistic projections for South Africa suggest the macro-economic impact will occur through serious labor supply shortages and by reductions of goods in the market. However, researchers believe that the overall impact of these trends has been exaggerated, and high unemployment is likely to mean that a significant number of the workforce who are disabled or dying from AIDS will be replaced resulting to temporary labor supply bottlenecks, rather than substantial and lasting shortages.
