Reports of sexual abuse of girls have risen rapidly in recent years in Zimbabwe, prompting the establishment of a special clinic at a major Harare hospital and an initiative to promote child-friendly courts. In the hard-hit countries of Africa, the epidemic is decimating a limited pool of skilled workers and managers and eating away at the economy. With many economies in the region in flux, it is hard to determine exactly what the impact of HIV is on national economies as a whole. However, it is clear that businesses are already beginning to suffer. In Zimbabwe, for instance, life insurance premiums quadrupled in just two years because of AIDS deaths.
Some companies say that their health bills have doubled.
Several report that AIDS costs absorb as much as one-fifth of company earnings. In Tanzania and Zambia, large companies have reported that AIDS illness and death cost more than their total profits for the year. Research shows that young people adopt safer sexual behaviour provided they have the information, skills and means to do so. The economy will shrink. There will be a large number of sick people whom the healthy will not be able to maintain.