This is seen by HIV and AIDS reducing labor productivity, supply, as well as the reduction of exports and an increase of imports that are entering the country. Within the healthcare industry approximately 20% of the student nurses are HIV positive (Dixon), not only are health care workers being infected but the risk of patients who were previously HIV negative becoming HIV positive is increasing. Due to the mortality rates the amount of skilled laborers is decreasing, causing the reduction of labor supply as well as labor productivity. Productivity is also decreasing due to the laborer having to miss work due to the symptoms of HIV and AIDS. This reduces exports because goods aren 't being produced at the rate needed to become a major export. The treatments for HIV and AIDS increase the imports since expensive medical supplies aren 't being manufactured in these areas, so the supplies need to be brought in to combat the pandemic …show more content…
HIV and AIDS are preventable diseases, if the people of South Africa possess the knowledge on how the disease is transmitted they are more likely to take these measures and help slow the pandemic down and potentially stop the spread all together. HIV and AIDS are blood borne pathogens, meaning they 're spread through the blood and other bodily fluids. Some measures that can be taken to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS are to practice safe sex and use condoms, cover any open wounds. If a person is HIV positive they should seek treatment, use condoms, inform sexual partners, and cover any open wounds. There are medications that can be taken before or after exposure to HIV, these are called pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis. Pre-exposure prophylaxis must be taken every day for three months to be effective. Post-exposure prophylaxis must be taken within 72 hours of exposure and continued for four weeks, post-exposure prophylaxis works by preventing the HIV from replicating therefore stopping the infection.