Introduction
Over the years, countries, especially in Africa, have faced extensive adverse effects of HIV/AIDS (Boutayeb, 2009). This challenge has remained a major health issue and development hindrance that has negatively impacted education and knowledge gaining, earnings and social position, productiveness, and monetary progress, among many other elements of people’s advancement (Boutayeb, 2009). The extensive impact of this health problem has necessitated collaboration between different actors, including governments, religious groups, researchers, HIV/AIDS patients, international organizations, private entities, and nonprofits to combat it (Dybul, 2005). Examples of nonprofits that collaborated with African governments in combatting this menace during President Bush’s second term (2005-2009) included the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS(UNAIDS), The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), World Health Organization, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
How The Nonprofits Filled the Need
Nonprofits filled the need for HIV/AIDS management across Africa during this period by providing the much-needed technical leadership and expertise that many African nations lacked. For instance, as a leading enforcer of PEPFAR, USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS offered guidance in reacting to the HIV/AIDS challenge in Africa and beyond (United States Agency for International Development, 2024). USAID assists country-run measures to contain the complex HIV difficulties in many nations. Nonprofits’ technical leadership and expertise have been helpful in drawing up national plans for HIV/AIDS control.
These organizations have contributed immensely to this fight by filling the gap in the medication supply, which has become a challenge to governments. Many households in Africa threatened by this disease are poverty-stricken rural families that have used a substantial portion of their incomes and resources to tackle this epidemic (Ndimbwa et al., 2013). However, the actuality that medical treatment is not wholly offered by governments in most African countries worsens the situation. The government measures are not sufficient to care for Home Based Care services (HBC), care for persons affected and infected by this disease, Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT), MCH, and help for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). As a result, nonprofits such as USAID and PEPFAR came up to fill this need and provide services for populations across Africa. These agencies also operate outpatient clinics that provide medical services to the sick and enhance access to voluntary testing, counseling, and care services.
The unavailability of vigorous publicity campaigns on the dangers of HIV and AIDS has derailed efforts to combat HIV/AIDS across Africa. Research has shown that notwithstanding the commendable efforts undertaken by many African governments to contain HIV/AIDS, there is a gap in averting this pandemic’s spread through creating public awareness (Kelly et al., 2006). Nonprofits have continually filled this gap, especially during Bush’s second administration. These agencies did a commendable job in the delivery of services, producing positive outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS across Africa.
Why Nonprofits Were Able to Fill the Need When Other Entities Were Not Able Too
Efforts by nonprofits towards containing HIV/AIDS across have continually been successful compared to those of other entities due to the difference in approaches these players apply. Research has shown that nonprofits stand advantageous over other agencies in tackling the social challenges of HIV/AIDS as they are more democratic and result-focused compared to state bureaucracies, which are process-focused (Khalid & Fox, 2019). Moreover, nonprofits are more flexible and, thus, can easily adapt to changes whenever a need arises to address the needs of its beneficiaries in combatting HIV/AIDS.
While many entities, including governments, have undertaken measures to contain HIV/AIDS spread in Africa, their efforts have been futile due to resource scarcity. Evidence reveals that nonprofits have been successful in their HIV/AIDS containment efforts across Africa due to their resource bases (Ferrari, 2011). Limited human, financial, and material resources have continually curtailed the services that African governments can offer to their populations to contain this epidemic. Thus, this limitation has been addressed by nonprofits that have well-designed infrastructure and sufficient resources for this purpose. In some countries, nonprofits provide the majority of the healthcare infrastructure.
The Intended and Unintended Consequences of These Partnerships
Nonprofits contributed immensely towards augmenting relations within society and households. Research reveals that the rise in the number of individuals having HIV/AIDS led to a weakening of the community help that existed in households in many African nations (Muriisa & Jamil, 2011). This epidemic led to a disruption of societal togetherness and closeness among people since societal relationships became marred by the discrimination of individuals suffering from HIV/AIDS or thought to be having the illness. However, the entry of nonprofits in this fight has considerably restored harmonious relationships among members of the community and individuals having HIV/AIDS. These entities have given HIV patients courage and good thoughts about life and created more public awareness, especially relating to disease transmission methods, thereby reducing the segregation of HIV/AIDS patients.
Despite there being a common goal among nonprofits and governments to end HIV/AIDS, the involvement of the former in this agenda in African countries has led to the undesired consequence of conflicts and disagreement among many players. In most cases, nonprofits do not implement their programs independently from authorities, other service entities and systems, financing and supporters, and societal norms (Kelly et al., 2006). Research has shown that there are numerous hindrances to nonprofit program implementation due to governmental opposition or indifference, public discomfort with sexuality stigma, and religious beliefs. Most of these programs are organizational, regulatory, and community-based measures that demand the involvement of nonprofits and the active assistance of authorities, lawmakers, and other players. Nonetheless, many of these stakeholders provide no support to nonprofits.
Conclusion
Different nonprofits, including UNAIDS, PEPFAR, WHO, and USAID, participated in HIV/AIDS containment campaigns across Africa during Bush’s second administration. Nonprofits have combatted this menace by providing technical leadership and expertise that many African nations lack. They fill the gap in medication supply and undertake vigorous publicity campaigns on the dangers of this epidemic. These organizations have been successful due to their approach of being more democratic and result-focused. They are also better resourced-than many other players. Nonprofits strengthened relations within the community and family level. The unintended consequence of conflicts and disagreement among many players hampers the success of nonprofits’ HIV/AIDS containment in Africa.
References
Boutayeb, A. (2009). The impact of HIV/AIDS on human development in African countries. BMC Public Health, 9(Suppl 1), S3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-S1-S3
Dybul, M. (June 2, 2005). President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Supports National Strategies on the Ground in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS. US Department of State. [online] Available at: https://2001-2009.state.gov/s/gac/rl/rm/47263.htm
Ferrari, L. L. (2011). Catholic and Non-Catholic NGOs Fighting HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. International Relations, 25(1), 85–107. doi:10.1177/0047117810397001
Kelly, J. A., Somlai, A. M., Benotsch, E. G., Amirkhanian, Y. A., Fernandez, M. I., Stevenson, L. Y., Sitzler, C. A., Mcauliffe, T. L., Brown, K. D., & Opgenorth, K. M. (2006). Programmes, resources, and needs of HIV-prevention nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa, Central/Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. AIDS Care, 18(1), 12–21. doi: 10.1080/09540120500101757
Khalid, H. & Fox, A. M. (2019). Political and governance challenges to achieving global HIV goals with injecting drug users: The case of Pakistan. Int J Health Policy Manag., 8(5), 261-271. doi: 10.15171/ijhpm.2018.131
Muriisa, R. K. & Jamil, I. (2011). Addressing HIV/AIDS challenges in Uganda: does social capital generation by NGOs matter? SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, 8(1), 2-12, DOI: 10.1080/17290376.2011.9724978
Ndimbwa, T., Emanuel, M. & Mushi, E. (2013). The role played by NGOs in preventing the spread of HIV/Aids and supporting people living with HIV/Aids in Tanzania: A Case of Dar Es Salaam Region. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 3(11), 579-592. ISSN: 2222-6990
United States Agency for International Development (2024). HIV and AIDS. [Online] Available at: https://www.usaid.gov/global-health/health-areas/hiv-and-aids
write