Is AIDS going to whipe out Sub-Saharan Africa?

[Osceola]

I've been thinking about this after watching "And the Band Played On". And this question struck me, will AIDS whipe out all of the severely poor, severely under developed, people of Sub-Saharan Africa?

[Lee1026]

No. Even in the worst case, we are looking at maybe 70% died. It is not that easy to infect every body - there is bound to a few smart and lucky ones that just manages to avoid the disease. Even the entire cocktail of european diseases only managed to kill 80 something percent of the native American population.

[Simetrical]

Genetic diversity will probably save them no matter how bad it gets. Some people are naturally resistant to HIV infection, and so they'll tend to outlive people who actually carry the virus. But then there will be many fewer people who can spread the virus, so its spread will be greatly delayed. Diseases rarely destroy large populations entirely; if they're so virulent that they kill everyone rapidly, they can't spread to the larger population.

[imb39]

I think it'll devastate the sub-Sarahan communities but not wipe them out. The depressing thing is that it will further make those countries' lives difficult and leaves them highly vulnderable to exploitation (yes, even more) from other countries.

Also the amount of local knowledge lost will be devastating too, be it cultural or about the loca environment.

[RZZZA]

I've been thinking about this after watching "And the Band Played On". And this question struck me, will AIDS whipe out all of the severely poor, severely under developed, people of Sub-Saharan Africa?

I was under the impression that the ONLY reason africans are plagued so much by AIDS is because their culture sees it as somewhat of an insult to wear condoms. So theyll keep dying as long as they keep to their old, backwards traditions. Those that adapt to new technologies will thrive.

[Simetrical]

Yes, the primary reason for the AIDS epidemic's effect in Africa is unfortunately lack of education, and maybe failure to trust what education they do have. Many just don't know that condoms and so on will reduce risks, or they were told that but don't really believe it. At least that's my impression.

[Lord Snibb]

Destorying 70% of a population pretty sounding wrecks whatever kind of governments they have going on, which may wind of benefical in the long run. But for the most part, south Africa is completely and utterly screwed for the next several generations and will be feeling it in 150 years. If all goes well, HIV/AIDS will die off like other diseases have. Unless, of course, it becomes airborne. Than I can see a death toll in the billions with most nations wiped of the face of the earth.