The New Hock Times news paper published on May 14, 2010; was about the rising percentages of people suffering from Aids in South Africa. In this case, South Africa is a nation devastated by HIV Aids which is a decease associated with social disgrace and shame. From the newspaper it can be seen that, the South African president Jacob Zuma has recently began to involve himself in an unexpected open discussion about sex, AIDs and HIV deterrence. Based on this, his hard works have been downplayed by current admittance that he had insecure sex during an extramarital relationship. In his effort to deter the vast expansion of HIV Aids in South Africa, he announced last month a huge extension of HIV testing and Aids services where he openly took a HIV test and revealed that his tests showed that he was negative; as far as the virus testing was concerned. On the other hand, South Africa has been categorized as one of the few African countries which discourage male circumcision. Based on this, Mr. Zuma in an interview confessed that; he had been circumcised and had heartened his sons to undergo the same practice which is said to minimize a man’s dangers of constricting HIV. It can further be argued that, Zulu is one of the largest South African communities which have all along discarded male circumcision throughout the 19th century. Further; it should be noted that that as the community leader, Zuma had of late encouraged Zulu men to be circumcised saying that the act minimizes the risks of HIV contraction by a half. In this case, it is ethically and culturally right for male to be circumcised in order to reduce HIV contraction as indicated by health officials. According to the newspaper, South Africa has the highest population contracted with HIV Aids (5.7 million). It can further be argued that, Zulu community in South Africa considers it nonmoral as far as male circumcision is concerned. In this case, a Mr. Zuma act of circumcision indicates that, it is not immoral for Zulu men to get circumcised (Dugger, 2010).
It is of importance to note that, South Africa is leading in HIV Aids infections which is a problem in this country. In this case, South Africans have realized this as a problem and plans are underway to circumcise million of men which started last month. Based on this, the problem of HIV Aids has overwrought the civic health system in this country; which has resulted to decreasing life expectancies and increasing costs for treatment. On the other hand to curb this problem; the South African president has started procedures of encouraging male circumcision and also supporting health administrators to act more insistently on the reduction of the rising rate of the HIV Aids disease (Dugger, 2010).
From a personal perspective, the practice of male circumcision among South African communities would be morally right since according to researches; male circumcision minimizes HIV Aids disease contraction. In this case, it would be a moral thing if South African communities are encouraged to get circumcised as led by the president at the same time promoting health administrators to act in the reduction of this disease. Ethical theories can be defined as principles which correspond to the impressive ideas on which guiding values are based. Based on this they try to be rational and methodical, struggling to respond to primary sensible ethical questions. From this it can be argued that, the utilitarianism theory can be used to answer the South African communities’ questions. In this case, this theory calls for those activities which yield results that are most advantageous to the majority of the affected people. It should also be noted that, male circumcision among the communities in South Africa would reduce chances of HIV Aids infections hence an advantage to all people in this country. Additionally, utilitarianism theory could state that male circumcision has uses as far as reducing HIV Aids disease in South Africa is concerned (Mill, 2010).
On the other hand, there are ways of controlling HIV Aids among South African populations. In this case, these methods may include abstinence from sex among the youths, protective sex, educating the communities on the problems associated with extramarital and premarital sex and at the same time encouraging faithfulness between couples. It can be argued that, if South African communities could fallow these ways; chances of HIV Aids infections would reduce (Dugger, 2010).
As far as the above alternatives are concerned, abstinence from sex and faithfulness would be more reliable methods of reducing HIV Aids infections in South Africa. Based on this, community members would not be engaging themselves in sexes and also couples would be more faithful between themselves; hence reducing chances of HIV Aids disease infection as intercourse among the youths is reduced. Further, using protective sex and disengagement in extramarital affairs reduce the risks of HIV Aids infections in South African communities. In this case it can be argued that, abstinence, faithfulness, disengagement in extramarital affairs and premarital sexes; would be applied to curb increasing HIV Aids infections (Mill 2010).
It is of importance to note that, in the case these methods are used in curbing the increasing HIV Aids instance among South African communities; the number of infected population would decrease as sexual intercourse is the major way of contracting HIV Aids. In this case, in case youths will abstain from sex by avoiding premature sex while the couples become faithful to each other by avoiding extramarital affairs; the chances of HIV Aids contraction would decrease at a higher rate in South Africa (Dugger, 2010).
It can further be argued that, the most efficient method among the above listed alternatives of curbing increasing HIV Aids infections; is abstinence from sex. This is because the main way of contracting Aids is through sexual intercourse. Secondly, faithfulness between couples through the avoidance of extramarital affairs would reduce HIV Aids contraction; as married people are second from youths as far as the contraction of HIV Aids is concerned. Additionally, the avoidance of premarital sex and educating the public on the consequences of Aids would decrease HIV Aids infection in South Africa. Lastly, the use of contraceptives would help partners to avoid unprotected sex which would in turn curb HIV Aids infection rates from further increasing (Mill, 2010).
For the above alternatives to be put in to practice, the public should be educated through all Media like television, newspapers and radio. On the other hand, youths should be encouraged on abstinences from sex by their teachers in schools and also their parents at home as well as the whole society (Mill, 2010).
Further, seminars and conferences should be arranged by the public and churches to educate couples on the consequences of infidelity. Lastly, contraceptives should be provided by the government in large numbers to accessible places like institutions, hospitals and all shops; that they may be used by partners. At the same time, the public should be educated on the usefulness of protective sex (Dugger, 2010).
By doing this, the public will be saved from the monster of the increasing infection rates of HIV Aids. In this case, the actions of immorality would be reduced through education in schools hence diminishing the chances of sexual intercourse among youths. On the other hand, by parents being open to their children and advising them on issues concerning sexual matters; premarital sex among youths would decrease. In this case, all these alternatives if utilized in South Africa; the chances of HIV Aids infection would drop since other African countries where HIV Aids infection rates are low, have utilized these. A good example is Uganda and Kenya where HIV Aids infection rates had been high; until the implementation of these alternatives (Dugger, 2010)
Reference lists
Dugger, C. (2010). In South Africa, an Unlikely Leader on Aids. The New Hork Times
Mill, J. (2010). Utilitarianism. Canada: General Books LLC Publishers