The Business Response to HIV/AIDS: Impact and lesson learned

The Challenge of HIV/AIDS
T he Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes AIDS was first identified in 1983.
Since then, HIV has spread around the world, causing one of the most severe global
epidemics of modern time. The initial response was led by the public and non-profit
sectors, which have mobilised increasing human and financial resources to combat the
disease, for which there is as yet no cure. Increasingly, the private sector is becoming aware of
the impact that HIV/AIDS is having on its workforce, production systems, markets and the local
communities in which it operates.
This first section summarises some of the important background information on HIV/AIDS, the
global and regional trends, the response by the public and non-profit sectors and their
increasing collaboration with the private sector.
1. PROFILE OF HIV/AIDS
Types: There are several recognised strains of HIV, with a number of genetic subtypes, though the
biological and epidemiological significance of some is still unclear. Different strains predominate in
different parts of the world.

Transmission: HIV is transmitted when blood or body
fluids of an infected person come into contact with those of
an uninfected person. Modes of transmission include
unprotected sexual intercourse through both heterosexual
sex and men who have sex with men (MSM), sharing
injecting equipment, and receiving transfusions of infected
blood. Globally, there are regional differences in the main
modes of transmission, with MSM being the main mode for
adults in the more developed countries whilst in subSaharan Africa and South-East Asia transmission is
predominately through heterosexual transmission (see Table
1). Most of the children who are infected acquire the virus
directly from their infected mothers.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency
Virus) is a virus that weakens the
body's natural defences, the immune
system, making a person more
susceptible to infections.
AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome) is diagnosed when a
person infected with HIV becomes ill
as a result of infections.

Effect: Once in the body of a host, HIV weakens the immune system. As a result, the individual is
progressively attacked by opportunistic diseases that may ultimately lead to death. Depending on
individual circumstances and environmental conditions, an infected individual can take over a decade to
show symptoms. The disease therefore tends to be well established in host populations before it is
recognised. In developing countries the time line between initial infection and the appearance of
symptoms is considerably shorter, which is due mainly to a higher prevalence of opportunistic infections
and lower levels of access to treatment.

THE BUSINESS RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS: Impact and lessons learned