ABSTRACT
In order to understand the scale of Africa's Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) crisis and the challenges this crisis poses to governance in Africa, one must start from the fact that the pandemic is complex, multi-faceted and influenced by many medical, social, economic, and cultural factors. This chapter charts the socio-economic and cultural realities driving the pandemic in Africa and assesses its impact in terms of development consequences. It addresses the societal impacts of HIV/AIDS in Africa through a review of the limited, but vital community-based studies. The chapter assesses the nature of intervention strategies by detailing what is being done, and by whom, with respect to governance responses and their outcomes. It also identifies the dominant issues and areas in need of greater research. On the biological front, research points to three key factors as proximate causes of Africa's high HIV infectivity.
