In 2000, 58 million people had been infected with HIV/AIDS and alarming figures such as 22 million had already died. And the epidemic continues to spread. HIV/AIDS is historically considered one of the longest-running global epidemics we have ever seen, and it is not possible to provide data on the true number of deaths or damage estimates as the cycle has yet to reach its end (Whiteside 2002). . Africa is the most affected continent in the world in terms of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the severity of its spread; one can only begin to wonder whether HIV/AIDS and poverty are directly linked or whether the interconnections exacerbate one or the other. This article aims to argue that HIV/AIDS is a manifestation of poverty and, at the same time, poverty contributes to the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Development in response to both poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS is complicated when both have multidimensional and multifaceted impacts on a society, whether social, economic or human development impacts. This article will argue that pre-existing socioeconomic conditions within a country, such as high levels of poverty, poor hygiene, malnutrition, environmental degradation and inadequate public health systems, and limited access to preventive care, are crucial factors in contributing to the transfer of infection. (Pasteur: 2000, Mann: 1999). African governments have succumbed to the whims of international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in social and health policies, and with that, have come a shift from the previous emphasis on social justice and 'equitable market efficiency to public health services for all, now perceived as a major threat... middle of document... the likelihood of women and girls engaging in risky activities sexual behavior as a means of survival, particularly when formal employment and other means of work do not provide a sufficient income to cover even the most basic needs. Extreme poverty fosters an element of high-risk behavior and corrodes it (ILO: 2005). The World Bank (1997) stated that “widespread poverty and unequal income distribution that characterize underdevelopment, lack of choice and the inability to determine one's own resources” destiny fuels the HIV epidemic”. Studies conducted by African countries that delve into the root causes and impacts of the correlation between HIV/AIDS and poverty through the analysis of epidemiological and socioeconomic statistical data suggest that there is a notable correlation between the spread of HIV/AIDS and wealth/ more prosperity. states of Africa.