HIV/AIDS and the South African National defence force: Anecdotal evidence from outside and within

At the 2007 International Department of Defence HIV/AIDS Conference in Pretoria, the then South African Deputy President, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, expressed the concern that “HIV/AIDS in the armed forces could pose a significant security threat”. What she was implying is that every soldier infected with HIV/AIDS erodes the capacity of the military to execute their core security mandate, in much the same way as HIV incapacitates its human host. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the armed forces can be linked to the effect this virus has on the human immune system. As Eberson observed

Related Subject(s): Public Health

Countries: South Africa