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Aids in the Black Community

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Aids Within the African American Community

“I tested HIV positive in 2002. I was 16. The reason why I went for an HIV test was because my ex-boyfriend at that time had gotten sick in the past few months, and then he died. No one would tell me why he died. No one would tell me what he had. I felt it was my responsibility to actually find out for myself if he did have HIV or AIDS. The only thing to do, was for me to go for an HIV test. When I was told that I was HIV positive, I could not believe them. I kept on asking them, "Why do I have HIV? Why do I still look healthy? Why am I not thin? Why am I not sick? Why am I not feeling sick? I feel normal and I look normal. Why do I have HIV?”-Thembi Ngubane of South Africa

AIDS have been spreading throughout our world continuously as the years pass. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a disease in the immune system that is transmitted through blood products by needles or sexual contact; a result of HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus). AIDS affect not only the health, but also the happiness and life of a human. A cure has not been found for this disease, but medication to slow down the succession of AIDS. Few do not suffer from AIDS, but is a worldwide plague that will not go away. AIDS have killed millions of people throughout the world. This epidemic has been harming the lives of many people, particularly within the black community. African Americans face the most severe burden of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. This global issue is greatly impacting the way of life for Africans. Africans are dying by the numbers because of this unstoppable plague. The average life expectancy has decreased from sixty-seven years of age to forty-eight years of age. Many children do not have parents to take care of them because they are dying from AIDS. This causes a decrease in fertility rates and causes

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