Human capital and the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa - Working Paper 2

The present working paper concerns the impact of HIV/AIDS on human capital in Sub-Saharan Africa. It provides insights into the impact of the epidemic on sustainable development in the region that is hardest hit by AIDS and already seriously affected by poverty, by focusing on key factors critical to human capital. The paper analyses the loss of human capital in two important social sectors B health and education B as a result of AIDS, and suggests how to respond to AIDS-related loss of skilled and professional labour mainly through mobilizing governments and workplace partners. In more practical terms, the paper concludes with a proposal for the maintenance of human capital in the form of a multisectoral programme of action.