South Africa: Changing HIV/AIDS Policies

Abstract

For the international community, particularly the Western world including the United States of America, South Africa constitutes a particular case of a country in which some of the best and the worst in contemporary African politics is witnessed. On the one hand, just like northern neighbour Botswana, it offers a relatively successful case of political transition to liberal representative democracy under the framework of a modern, globalised market economy. On the other hand, this country holds grave problems associated with economic inequality, insecurity and, interconnectedly, a ruinous public health situation, in which the HIV/AIDS pandemic is a very acute example. As a global health initiative with a focus on emergent HIV/AIDS implementation, PEPFAR was certainly conceived for a country such as this, as in the case of Botswana.