Can a Developing Country Support the Welfare Needs of Children Affected by AIDS? Considering the Issues in Zambia

This article discusses why developing countries with high-prevalence generalised HIV epidemics cannot meet the welfare needs of children affected by RIDS. In accordance with instructions guiding the debate, this article argues that meeting the needs of children affected by RIDS (defined to include primary healthcare, education and social welfare) would impose such a heavy burden on a society that it would divert resources from meeting legitimate needs of others who are deprived. This is both inefficient and inequitable. This point is illustrated by data from Zambia (although data from numerous other countries and sub-Saharan Africa as a whole would serve the same purpose). This argument does not preclude some help for children affected by RIDS Yet, the assistance they receive should be consistent with broader support for all the citizens who are ill-fed, ill-housed, in ill-health, poorly educated and otherwise disadvantaged.