Introduction
This paper is a review of Tinderbox: How the West sparked the AIDS epidemic and how the world can finally overcome it book written by Timberg and Halperin in 2012. In spite of the fact that AIDS is considered a dying disease in the United States, it is still an epidemic in Africa primarily spread by heterosexual contacts and should be addressed by means of effective prevention tactics including condoms use, stable relationships, and male circumcision. Timberg and Halperin argue that the prevalence of the male circumcision could prevent up to 5.7 million new contaminations of HIV and around 3 million deaths within twenty years in South Africa (Timberg & Halperin, 2012). The above measure would decrease the number of sexually transmitted infections leading to the prevention of epidemic. The mentioned issue is undoubtedly worth considering as HIV and AIDS are becoming more and more widespread threatening the world.
Expansion of HIV
First of all, authors state that the colonization of Africa promoted the expansion of HIV all over the world. However, the original tinderbox was Africans’ polygamy as they were allowed to have several wives along with non-marital sex partners. However, there is no epidemic of AIDS in the United States due to appropriate measures conducted by the government including the prohibition of the polygamy and anti-drug policy.
Possible Solutions
The second point under the review is the instrument of the fight against HIV. Timberg and Halperin (2012) believe that condoms have minimal influence because of the occasional use. Anti-HIV drugs might be helpful to improve living conditions but for the enormous cost (“Tinderbox: How the West fueled the AIDS epidemic,” 2012). Moreover, Timberg and Halperin (2012) consider that the male circumcision could stop the expansion of the epidemic. They provide convincing arguments stating that it is the cheapest and the most productive tool and that the level of HIV infected is five times higher in those regions of Africa where circumcision has never been practiced. Consequently, circumcision becomes the most appropriate solution that would save millions of lives as well as millions of dollars.
Nevertheless, authors point out the alternative way applying the example of Uganda where soldiers were limited to have sex only within stable relationships. Particularly, they were allowed to have sexual contacts only in marriage or with a permanent partner. Thus, the measure worked under the fear.
The United States tries to prevent the worldwide epidemic
Additionally, authors regard the role of the United States in HIV and AIDS prevention. Donnelly (2012) agrees with them that the United States should be involved in the fight against AIDS in Africa as colonialists’ trade might aggravate the situation spreading the disease to the world. In this regard, the country is funding the male circumcision in Africa since 2007.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the book reflects the pandemic of HIV in Africa and the United States focusing on reasons causing it and ways that could control it, namely, on polygamy and the male circumcision respectively.
References
Donnelly, J. (2012). Tinderbox : How the West Sparked the AIDS Epidemic and How the World Can Finally Overcome It by Craig Timberg and Daniel Halperin.The Washington Post. Web.
Timberg, C., & Halperin, D. (2012). Tinderbox: How the west sparked the AIDS epidemic and how the world can finally overcome it. New York, NY: Penguin Press.
Tinderbox: How the West fueled the AIDS epidemic. (2012). NPR Books. Web.