Keith B. Richburg

In the following viewpoint, Keith B. Richburg asserts that one of the most pressing problems in Africa is the AIDS epidemic. He contends that sexual practices such as prostitution and polygamy facilitate the spread of the AIDS virus. According to Richburg, poverty, ignorance, and inadequate health care facilities make the crisis difficult to solve. Rich- burg is the author of Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa, the book from which this viewpoint is taken.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is the main cause of AIDS infection in Africa, according to Richburg?
2. In the author’s view, why is polygamy prevalent in Africa?
3. According to the author, why are Africans relatively nonchalant about AIDS"

There are currently about 21.8 million people in the world infected with the HIV virus...