A look at HIV/AIDS in South Africa in 2014 – eNCA

JOHANNESBURG – Despite South Africa being the leading nation in HIV/AIDS research, the country has the highest rate of infection and disease-related death – and less than half of South Africans living with HIV are receiving treatment.

December 1 marks World AIDS Day, where people around the world unite in the fight against HIV and to show their support for those affected by the virus.

Currently, there are more than six million South Africans living with HIV (the biggest epidemic in the world) and only 2.7 million of those people are receiving HIV treatment, because of the work that the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has done.

The Department of Health reports that there are 1,000 new infections and more than 1,000 AIDS-related deaths daily.

Southern Africa has the most serious HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world. A little over 20 years ago, it was virtually unheard of in the region, but now, it is regarded as the “epicentre” of the global HIV epidemic.

The most recent numbers said that Swaziland had the highest prevalence of any country in the world, at 26.5 percent, with Botswana following at a close 23 percent. With over 6 million people infected and living with HIV (with a prevalence of 17.9 percent), South Africa has the largest epidemic of any country in the world.

According to the HSRC’s National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey that was released in April this year, the total number of infected South Africans is 1.2 million more than in 2008.

Girls and women are the populations most affected by HIV and the following have been identified as the key populations with higher risk of exposure: black African females between the ages of 20 and 24 years (at a rate of 31.6 percent), people who are co-habiting (30.9 percent), black African males between the ages of 25 and 49 years (25.7 percent), disabled persons over the ages of 15 years (16.7 percent), high-risk alcohol drinkers over the age of 15 years (14.3 percent) and recreational drug users (12.7 percent).

Despite being known as a global leader in HIV research, South Africa still experiences problems such as a lack of HIV/AIDS knowledge and education, a low rate of condom use in monogamous relationships, early sexual debate and HIV-related risk behaviour.

The HSRC report named a few important focal areas for change, namely condom use and sufficient distribution, an increase in knowledge of HIV, regular testing (and maintaining awareness of one’s status) and the stigma and discrimination, especially when referring to people living with HIV as the “other”. These are all areas that need constant work and attention, in order to decrease prevalence and risk of infection.

-Roxanne Joseph

– eNCA