South Africa Still lagging behind
“Countries around us with fewer resources, both human and financial, are able to achieve more,” said Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim, the first director of South Africa’s national AIDS program in the mid-1990s under President Nelson Mandela. “I wish I understood why South Africa, which has an enviable amount of resources, is not able to respond to the epidemic the way Botswana and Kenya have.”
- Excerpt from an article in today’s New York Times about the growing number of male Africans having circumcisions in an effort to reduce the chances of contracting HIV.
Yet, South Africa, despite knowledge of the positive benefits of circumcision, has been lagging (again) in offering services to its citizens. Why?
Hasn’t previous international ridicule over ignorant and ancient health policies taught the South African government anything? Besides the point, if the government is purposefully ignoring international opinion, they should have learned to stop ignoring science and fact. I’m quite confused about why Africa’s economic powerhouse still holds so firmly to traditional and superstitious beliefs. What sort-of logic is involved in being skeptical, or flat-out rejecting, medical advancements (particularly ones which have been tested in neighboring countries AND have been successful?
