HIV is more prevalent in Southern Africa's richest countries

HIV in Africa has reached its highest rate in the richest countries, negating the usual association of HIV and poverty; Elizabeth Pisani, scientist in the industry said.

During a discussion at the Frontline Club on Tuesday on her newly released book, Wisdom of Whores, Pisani said: “Our data and research showed that there is more HIV in southern Africa. HIV is more prevalent in Southern Africa’s richest countries.”

She said that people in the HIV field make it easier for themselves when relate the virus to poverty. However, three in the four highly affected countries are the richest in Southern Africa: South Africa, Batswana and Zimbabwe.

The name of her book reflects her experience with “sex workers” as she likes to call them. She said that she learnt a lot from whores and drug users.

HIV national research guidelines changed after her chat with a transsexual sex worker. When she mentioned that transsexual sex workers have three clients a week, the latter showed her disagreement. Pisani then told her that this is the average for transsexual sex workers according to a research that the team did speaking them. The sex worker then told her that the research team is talking to the wrong people. Because any sex worker who could be with a research team is not with a client and thus does not have to be three clients a week.

Pisani was convinced of her point and they then changed the national guidelines of HIV research and those were then changed internationally in the World Health Organisation.