When I was in RSA in 2000, they were having a big symposium in HIV/AIDS. They claimed that 3% of the Black population of RSA alone was HIV-positive. They predicted that with that current rate of transmission that by 2012 20 million people in RSA would be HIV p[positive and 6 million would be dead of AIDS. By 2016 if their calculations were off. They predicted by 2020 up to half of Black Africa would be dead of AIDS, and a post apocalyptic world of over flowing hospitals and mass graves would be the order of the day.
It is nearly 2018, and no such thing has happened. No body wants to see misery and disease, but HIV being sexually transmitted and a slow killer is the p[perfect vehicle for mass transmission. What happened? Were the fears over hyped or are their millions dying and the press isn't covering it?
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
I was in Cameroon in 1998 working at a hospital in Garobli and one in Nguandari (SP??) - working on a generator, some lab equipment and wiring systems.
The hospitals had 60 to 80% HIV patients. The doctors said however that the number one cause of death was from people drinking out of water holes that were shared with animals.
Most people couldn't afford hospitals. The one in Garobli had only three staff -- two doctors and one nurse. No one else on the property. The rooms were horrible - stinky and dirty. The bigger of the two hospitals Nguandari had 5 disposable gloves hanging out to dry -- that's all they had -- just to give you an idea of their supplies.
Our huts had Green Mambas in them at times and there were King Cobras in the garbage pit. The natives took care of the snakes though.
The scariest thing in Cameroon was their police.
I prefer classic. Semper Fi I used to run with the hare. Now I'm envious of the tortoise and I do my own stunts but rarely intentionally
The best thing that could happen to Sub-Saharan Africa would be for a majority of the population to die, regardless of the cause, and to have the survivors ask their European former colonial masters to come back and manage their countries with UN oversight. It seems to me that management by a benevolent Governor General would benefit that majority of the people who suffer greatly because of their corrupt and incompetent quasi-democracies. Zimbabwe's failure is a HBR case study example of how a successful enterprise can get flushed down the crapper when corrupt and incompetent leaders take care of themselves, they families and friends to the detriment of the people to chose them to rule.
I went to Cameroon in '96 and '97. Had a tracker end up in a "hospital" from a goring from a buff. I went there to check on him and no joke it was a cinder block building that looked like a gas station. The "ward" was a 16 x 12' room with about 8 beds, and there were chickens hopping around in the room. The local MD had cleaned his wounds, sutured him and wrapped him up but gave him no meds because they didn't have any. I carry plenty when I go, so gave him a butt full of Pen G and I.M. Ketoralac and took him back to camp, which was a whole lot cleaner.
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
All I can tell you is ALL of the staff, trackers, skinners, etc I've known save one, have ALL died from AIDS.
A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
The first tracker I hunted with in Namibia died of AIDS right before my 2nd hunt there with the same outfit. The owner of our outfit told me the death certificate would not show HIV/AIDS as the cause of death because the black community would not believe it anyway, in spite of 50% of them having it.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
I have often wondered when the apocalypse of HIV deaths would come to subsaharan africa and kill over half the population. This was the prediction that we heard some 20 years ago. I even supported a Campus Crusade missionary who worked for years on AIDS prevention throughout africa.
Part of the answer is that the United States has spent hundreds of millions on making HIV meds available through out africa. These can prolong life for decades. Also the average age of mortality is relatively young in this part of the world so that many HIV positive patients may be surviving to an age that is within the normal range of mortality and their deaths may be attributed to "natural causes".
But it is still a story that has not been carefully investigated and reported upon. I'm glad it's been brought up here and would love to know the real answers.
HIV is almost the perfect killer to erradicate mankind. Good thing that some of the anti viral drugs hare effective in remission.
[i]Sexually transmitted - People ain't going to stop having sex Slow to show symptoms[/i] - People will pass it around and not know they have it Uses your own immune system to kill you - let's anything get you Viral -hard to kill Mutates at an alarming rate - difficult to make a vaccine
It's a disease that is spread by sex and wipes out your immune system to let everything else kill you. Savagely brilliant.
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
When I hunted Botswana in 2005, the HIV infection rate was estimated at 30%. The camp manager told me that she kept a large bowl of free condoms in the staff quarters . She never had to refill it as the locals simply were not about to use condoms- and they f—ked like rabbits. Fast forward to now. Same story, different year....
I've considered the fact that since HIV doesn't immediately become AIDS, and the AIDS is not immediatedly fatal like let's say Ebola, infected individuals procreate for years and years and are out of the breading age by thetime AIDS gets them.
"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo
I have had several employees die from complications from Having AIDS. One was a white girl the rest were blacks. The white girl a kitchen worker received it from her husband. He was notorious for screwing the black girls in camp. We all knew it but he never was caught. Sure enough he contracted it and then of course his wife. He died first, she hung on for a long time. But eventually she passed away too. The black girls in camp are with different guys every day. It's odd to be sure they way they seem to share things as they do. A new black guy comes to camp because we need labor for fence repairs or ditches dug for water pipe.
Same day he arrives he is in the cabin with one of the black girls. I asked her ( long time employee) why she would sleep with this guy she does not know? She told me he said she had to sleep with him. It's a very peculiar situation where girls have no self esteem or perceived value. They are only meant to feel wanted for sex. So it seems if that is the only part of their life that provides them with a feeling self worth they jump on it?
I asked her about the AIDS, she said she washes up good? and..... " everybody gotta die sometime"
www.huntingadventures.net Are you living your life, or just paying bills until you die? When you hit the pearly gates I want to be there just to see the massive pile of dead 5hit at your feet. ( John Peyton)
My last Zimbabwe safari I asked my PH "what would his guys like? A new,leather man? Backpack?? Cabela's hoodie? NOPE!!! They wanted American Viagra. Which of course I didn't bring(ain't got a prescription)