Abstract #7  -  The effects of HIV/AIDS on food availability and access
Authors:   Presenting Author:   Ms Bella Akhagba - Association for child health
Additional Authors:
Method / Issue: HIV/AIDS has evolved into the greatest human tragedy over the last two decades. Rather unfortunately, the pandemic is taking on unusually large toll on the population of Sub-Sahara Africa. It has defied all boundaries, infecting persons of all categories in its progression through the human society leaving in its wake an ever increasing number of Men and Women who are pushed towards their expected early demise more by stigma, malnutrition and poor health care than the disease it causes. HIV/AIDS significantly impedes the food security of affected household, communities and entire region by decreasing –often drastically the labour, income asset, food reserves savings, information exchange, institutional support and community safety net available to infected household. The impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture and livelihood could be devastating when one look at the ways the diseases diminishes four types of capital, Human, Financial, Social, Physical And Natural.
Results / Comments: The capacity to implement effective nutritional care and support depends on food availability and sufficient quantities of a variety of nutritional foods must be steadily available and household foods and people living with HIV/AIDS must have the resources to access an adequate and variety of such foods. Limited availability of and access to nutritious foods constrains the capacity of many HIV/AIDS affected household to implement nutritional intervention to strengthen the health and nutritional status of infected people.
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