During the course of the past three decades, the increasing role of globalization has illuminated numerous issues that were once considered to be merely regional. All over the world our economic, social and political issues have become increasingly interdependent. One of the many pivotal challenges facing the global community is halting and reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS. According to the 2011 United Nation Resolution on HIV/AIDS approximately 30 million people all over the world are living with HIV and “…over 7,000 new…” reported “…HIV infections occur every day…” Although globalization is often viewed negatively, we as a global community can utilize the world 's technological and medical innovations in order eliminate HIVAIDS.
Prior to the 1980 's scientists did not know where HIV/AIDS originated or how the disease could be transmitted. The first reported cases of HIV occurred amongst gay men inNew York CityandSouthern California. The earliest reported patients had unusual cases of Kaposi Scrota (a rare and aggressive form of caner) and other opportunistic infections. For a short period people believed that this new and strange disease only infected gay men. However, in 1982 scientists discovered that the disease could also be sexually transmitted by both homosexual and heterosexual individuals. In September 1982 the U.S. Center of Disease Control defined this once enigmatic and arcane disease as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease. ("History of AIDS Up to 1986").
Despite the many scientific advancements researchers have made pertaining to HIV, the specific origin of the disease has yet to be made concrete. In February 1999 researchers found chimpanzees inhabiting regions of West and Central Africa that possess a disease identical to HIV. How exactly the disease was transferred to from primates to humans
Cited: "South Africa; HIV/AIDS Estimates (2009)." Joint United Nations Programme on