Abstract

This paper poses methodological and ethical questions on the measures adopted by the human development index (HDI) data in assessing development in Africa, with particular emphasis on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). It is a well-known fact that these measures are great indicators of development or otherwise. The central position of the paper is that given the difficulty in collecting data reports on Africa, how accurate and reliable are the HDI standards in measuring the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa? Perhaps a medical research report in Nigeria has come up with a figure that over 7 million Nigerians have been medically proven to live with HIV while close to 5 million have been suspected to be positive to HIV. But these people have not come out boldly to either be tested for HIV or treated due to the myths and misconceptions surrounding the infection (Akingbade, 2013). The paper however held that there is a need for further research in determining the validity of HIV/AIDS prevalence in Africa. It concluded with adequate recommendations.

Key words: Human development index (HDI), Africa, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome.