Poverty, HIV and AIDS : implications for Southern Africa in the global capitalist architecture

Abstract

This paper discusses the issues concerning HIV and AIDS within the context of capitalist development in Southern Africa. Southern Africa is the epicenter of the HIV and AIDS pandemic and coupled with growing poverty in Africa in general, there is need to understand the trajectory of Southern Africa in the present phase of global capitalist development. The paper is contextualised in post-adjustment Southern Africa in which all the countries have adopted and implemented economic structural adjustment programs of various sorts, all of which share common features such as liberalization of capital, labour and commodities and services. The paper raises issues about research, directions for future intervention so that there are better understandings of processes for containing, reducing and mitigating the effects of HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa.