The environmental challenge of HIV/AIDS: A perspective on the importance of addressing HIV for environmental sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

HIV/AIDS affects people from every country, however the countries which are most affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic are also some of the most highly affected by other prominent global challenges such as environmental degradation, and vice versa. This is no coincidence. This paper explores some of the direct and indirect interactions between HIV/AIDS and environmental issues which underpin this trend. These interactions include feedback mechanisms such as the loss of local biodiversity resulting in increased poverty in a community, which in turn increases vulnerability to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Another example is the adoption of less sustainable agricultural practices in HIV/AIDS affected communities (because of reduced labour capacity) leading to decreased nutrition, which in turn also results in both a higher rate of both HIV transmission and progression of HIV to AIDS (via decreased immune system function). Once the reciprocal influence of HIV/AIDS and environmental issues on each other is acknowledged, it follows that measures taken to address either HIV/AIDS or the inter-connected global environmental challenges can be most effective when undertaken with an integrated and holistic scope.

Keywords: Health and environment, HIV/AIDS, sustainable development, health, livelihoods and environment, environmental policy, health and development policy.