"Aside from all that, we recall that antibodies to malaria and other diseases prevalent in Africa show up as HIV-positive on tests"

This quote by Serge Lang is describing the problem of precisely checking for HIV in Africa. Due to the occurrence of other illness, such as malaria, antibodies to these illness can show up as HIV-positive on tests. This means that people who do not have HIV can be incorrectly identified as HIV-positive, resulting in an incorrect complacency for those who are in fact HIV-positive and an incorrect sense of danger for those who are not. This quote highlights the significance of accurate testing for HIV in Africa, as well as the requirement for further research into the precision of HIV tests in the area. It also acts as a pointer of the need for better health care facilities in Africa, as well as the need to attend to the underlying reasons for diseases such as malaria.