Mathematics and Aids

Beniel Seka

“Graduate with A’s not AIDS”. These are words which appear on notice boards of many higher learning institutions in Tanzania. They are meant to educate students to guard against being infected with the deadly disease called AIDS which so far has no cure. The campaign to combat the spread of this disease has been conducted in schools as well as communities throughout the world. The aim is to ensure that everybody has enough knowledge about the disease and is ready to collaborate with various government and non-government agencies in eliminating it.

There are several slogans uttered during the campaign including “Life without AIDS is possible. It begins with you.” The Government has stipulated that whenever there is a gathering, be it a seminar or a workshop, effort should be made to include few minutes of educating the participants on the HIV/AIDS problem. The United Nations Organisation has set the first of December as the International Aids Day. Governments and related organisations use this day to deliberate on actions to eradicate the endemic disease. The National festival this year (2012 was held in Lindi. During the festival, the need for checking one’s HIV status was reemphasized

HIV testing services including Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) have been available to people who are symptomatic or those who want to know their HIV status. VCT has traditionally been recognised as the key entry point for developing integrated prevention and care for adults as well as children. The media has also played an active role in educating the public on the need to check their health status. For example, Mr Marine Hassan of TBC1 in Jambo Tanzania television broadcast on 12th December, 2012 welcomed two experts to talk to the public on blood donation campaign. “Blood is tested for HIV,” they said.  Several documents have also been developed to help in the campaign.

One prominent mathematician has come up with an idea of extending the campaign by using mathematics concepts. The book which is written in Kiswahili bares the title ‘Kipeo na Kipeuo Wapima UKIMWI’ (Power and Root Test for HIV/AIDS). The book was published by Kapsel Educational Publications of Dar es salaam in 2004. The main characters of the book are Power Two and Square Root. They are derived from mathematics topics which usually pose difficulties to pupils. The author uses simple events to explain the concepts by employing the AIDS scenario. In this way, readers enjoy the story and at the same time learn about HIV/AIDS.

The author chose a country called Mathematics to discuss issues related to HIV/AIDS. The occupants of this country are Addition, Multiplication, Subtraction, Division, Algebra, Circles, Rectangles, Numbers, Squares, Power Two, Square Root, Compass, Ruler, Pencil and many others who can be named by a mathematical term or symbol. Power Two is married to Square Root and they have a child called Pi written in symbol as π. Pi is a constant in mathematics which means circumference ( distance around a circle) divided by its diameter.

The book narrates how Average, which is the sum of numbers divided by number of terms, invited a health officer in his village called Statistics to give a presentation on HIV/AIDS. The guest spoke about the causes symptoms and spread of the decease. At the end of the presentation, participants (villagers) were allowed to ask questions. Mr Square Root was among those who were lucky to ask a question. He wanted to know how a child got HIV while it had not engaged in sex. Average explained how a child could be infected by an infected mother during birth and lactation.

The book also narrates how the villagers celebrated the International AIDS Day in one particular year. The celebration involved a procession that passed in front of the guest of honour, Mr Zero. The procession was done in groups of families. The participating villagers carried placards which displayed various messages about HIV/AIDS. The guest of honour read the messages aloud for people to digest and internalise.

Each message was constructed in such a way that it portrayed a concept in mathematics and a corresponding prevention of HIV spread method. For example, the Geometry group consisting of Rectangle, Circle, Triangle and Square displayed the message ‘Huwezi kumtambua mwenye virusi vya UKIMWI kwa kutazama umbo lake’ (You cannot identify an HIV victim by looking the shape of the body). A follow-up message read ‘Unaweza kujua tu kwa kupima’ (You can only know by testing).

Another event of the celebration involved dramatization. One and Three (MALES) were seen looking at a beautiful lady who passed near them in a very provoking manner. Three did not take time to express his desire to that lady. One warned her that her husband had died of AIDS. He also informed Three that the lady had also lost her young baby probably by infection from mother to child. “IF I had not told you this, she would have captured your attention and probably become a victim sooner or later,” concluded One.

The two individuals shifted their talk to discuss about their friend Compass. A pair of compasses contains a ‘female’ part in which a pencil (‘male’ part) is inserted when drawing circles and arcs. Pencils are replaced quite often for a number of reasons. “If for example, Pencil is infected with HIV, Compass will be infected too,” stated Three. “This means that Protractor which measures the size of angles, and his cousin Set Square and his uncle Ruler will also be affected if the use the same pencil.”

One thought for a while and said, “Well, the best way to avoid further infection is Compass to stick to one Pencil. A pencil should remain fixed in the compass. It should not be removed to draw lines, points or geometric figures.  This implies that sexual partners should be faithful to each other. Any attempt to violet this can cause catastrophe”.

The book points out that after the celebration; Power Two was moved by the events. She had practised pre-marital sex before she met Square Root. She had not taken any precaution. She was worried that she could have contracted the HIV although she showed no symptoms. She decided to convince her husband to accompany her for both of them to visit their nearest VCT centre. Her husband agreed after a long struggle. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                         O                                     

                          O   8

 

   

 Square Root          Power Two

            9 =3                       3² = 9

 Square root of 9 equals 3. Three squared equals 9.

The author joins Benjamin Mkapa HIV/AIDS Foundation established in 2006 to improve the delivery of services for HIV and AIDS through innovations in health systems.

  

                                                                                                                                                                                                        

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