AIDS in Africa
CMAJ 1998;158:1129
In response to: M. Tectonidis
After rereading my original article, I agree that I insinuated that the seropositivity rates for HIV are 30% to 40% in Malawi. It is difficult to do an effective population analysis of HIV rates in many parts of Africa. A seropositivity rate of 36% was put forward by a physician at St. John's Hospital in Mzuzu, Malawi, who arrived at the figure by using a sample of outpatient adults arriving at the hospital in 1995 (St. John's Hospital, 1995 statistics, unpublished data). This rate is thus biased toward the sickest and the weakest.
I do think that the rates of HIV and AIDS are too high in Africa, but, like Dr. Tectonidis, I agree that there is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. For example, the incidence of HIV and AIDS is falling in Uganda because of good public health interventions, improved knowledge and changes in public attitudes. Increasing awareness leads to changes in public policy, and promotion of healthy sexual practices may help us win the battle. That is something we can hope and dream will one day occur.
Kevin Chan, BSc (Hon), MD
Resident in Pediatrics
British Columbia's Children's Hospital
Vancouver, BC
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