More than 17 million Africans have died from AIDS since 1970.

Four informed sources met Monday night at the Holmes Student Center’s Heritage Room to address the AIDS epidemic.

“AIDS in Africa,” opened with each audience member reading a statistic or quote relating to the virus – including the myth in Africa that AIDS is cured by sex with a virgin.

The four mediators introduced themselves and began to take questions and statements from the crowd.

Missionary Morgan Burrell began her speech with a testimonial. While on a mission to Africa, Burrell treated an AIDS-infected woman and watched her die. In light of the woman’s death, Burrell donated all the food in her backpack to the starving Africans, who were much worse-off than she was, she said.

The panel also consisted of missionary Delores Burrell, who also has experience working in Africa, professor Ngoyi Bukonda, who studied the AIDS epidemic and Gary Judd, who is an activist for the prevention of AIDS. Judd is planning a trip to Springfield in March to help pass legislation for African relief.

Questions from the audience ranged from controversy to activism, but the one recurring theme was the apathy and misunderstanding in regard to the worldwide crisis.

“The situation in Africa is an issue that hasn’t been addressed by the United States government,” Judd said.

Several mediators proposed education as possible solutions, citing the lack of knowledge and birth control as the enemy.

Bukonda said the panel went well overall.

“It was good to share information about HIV,” he said. “You save lives.”