Employment and education effects on HIV/AIDS prevalence rate and economic growth: empirical investigation in ECOWAS

We analyse the simultaneous effects of employment and education on GDP growth and HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the long and short run across the 15 countries of ECOWAS. Our results suggest that employment and primary education are the main HIV/AIDS prevalence rate reduction drivers in the short run with primary education having a simultaneous effect on HIV/AIDS prevalence rate (reduction) and GDP growth (increase) while secondary education drives the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate reduction in the long term. Education and employment may therefore become the short-run policy targets in combatting HIV/AIDS prevalence rate among the active population and achieving economic growth. Our results equally suggest that GDP growth by itself may not be an HIV/AIDS reduction driver.