The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) released a report on Friday, November 27, 2015 indicating that the number of adolescents dying from AIDS has tripled over the last 15 years, most of them having acquired the disease when they were infants. Among teenagers aged 15-19, 26 new infections occur every hour, and about half of the two million living with HIV in this group are in just six countries: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, India, Mozambique and Tanzania. In a statement, the Children’s Agency said that in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest prevalence, girls are vastly more affected, accounting for seven in 10 new infections among 15-19 year olds. [Source: AFP]
Comment:
HIV/AIDS is transmitted primarily via sexual intercourse, contaminated transfusions, hypodermic needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. It is the number one cause of death among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old in Africa and the second leading cause of death among adolescents globally. (Wikipedia)
Since the start of endemic in the last century around 78 million people have been infected with AIDS and 39 million have died of AIDS related illness across the globe. This is according to the United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS. (UNAIDS)
This clearly shows how the menace has become one of the crises in the world. Numerous investments have been put on board to deal with the endemic but have not significantly solved the problem. For example in 2013, US$ 19.1 billion was available in response for the AIDS. This year, annual need is currently estimated between US$22-24. Efforts such as promoting use of condoms, clean needles to the drug addicts are highly suggested by the West as solution to the problem.
While the West professes to be concerned with the endemic thus trying to come up with solution, the fact of the matter is they do not advise people to shy away their biased core values such as free association and personal freedom which emanate from corrupt ideology of Capitalism. It is common to stand by as the society plunges into moral decadence because everyone is driven by his/her own desires. Life is perceived as an enjoyment at all costs. Therefore detrimental acts such as adultery, fornication and other vices are common in secular society that have made people vulnerable to HIV infections.
Since AIDS has also affected many Muslims brothers and sisters who are part of the Islamic Ummah, care and love should be given to the victims. Hope should be given to them that the Almighty Allah has opened a door for repentance.
In order to solve the problem of AIDS, one has to look for an alternative ideology which will deal with the problem once and for all. Definitely that alternative is Islam of which it contains a profound social system. Acts such pre-marital and extramarital sex are prohibited and hudud (punishments) should be applied to any one who commits such acts under the Islamic system. Furthermore Islam has built Taqwa within the Muslim individuals and made it a driving force of a Muslim’s deeds. These solutions however cannot be implemented except by establishing a Khilafah upon the methodology of the Prophethood – an Islamic state where the entire society will be protected from any indecency and its ill consequences.
Shabani Mwalimu
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in East Africa