Piece Description

This summer, I spent five weeks in South Africa gaining a first-hand account of the country's AIDS pandemic. I visited hospices, orphanages and treatment centers, and spoke with those treating the disease, as well as those suffering from it. My documentary explores the roadblocks that stand in the way of stamping out the disease, namely fundamental misconceptions about HIV/AIDS among the country's poorer sects. It also looks at the challenges of treating such a large-scale pandemic. HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa has been a prominent issue this year, thanks to high profile work done by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bono and others. This documentary presents an in-depth look at treating the disease on the ground level. - - - - - Note: Shortly after the documentary was finished, the South African government revised its official position on HIV/AIDS, and now unequivocally views HIV as the cause of AIDS. It also now says that antiretroviral medication needs to be the focal point of treatment efforts. Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and her herbal remedies have been marginalized.