Nutrition and Children Infected with HIV/AIDS in West and Central Africa: Implications for Human Capital Development
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Date
2020
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Journal of Behavioural Studies
Abstract
Nutrition is highly essential for the immune system and the existence of humanity. The HIV/AIDS disease, however, targets the immune systems of its victims, attacks and weakens them, which further aggravates the risk of developing infections and illness; thereby, making it impossible for the system to defend itself against diseases. Moreover, HIV reduces the nutritional status of the infected person, and this leads to immune depletion and progression of the virus into a full blown AIDS. The destructive activity of the disease on the immune systems of infected persons is capable of influencing human capital development negatively. This paper assesses nutrition and children infected with HIV/AIDS in West and Central Africa, using stylized facts and review of related literature. The findings indicate that HIV/AIDS has contributed to the high prevalence of malnutrition, underweight, stunting, and wasting among HIV/AIDS-positive children; including those on antiretroviral therapy. These tend to impact negatively on human capital development activities in the area of health and education of the children. Thus, it is recommended that proper, appropriate and adequate nutrition should be provided for HIV/AIDS positive children to enhance human capital development activities among children in West and Central Africa. Efforts to attain 100% coverage of infected children with ART should be put in place while attempt should also be made to eradicate the disease in the sub-region
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Keywords
HIV/AIDS, Nutrition, Children, Immune system, West and Central Africa