World AIDS Day: South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world

World AIDS Day: South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the worldOn World Aids Day we look at the 8 million people living with HIV in South Africa which has the largest number of HIV-positive people in the world.

by Obakeng Pholo

01-12-2022 15:52

in LGBTQIA+

A student holds balloons as she takes part in an awareness campaign on the occassion of World Aids Day' at Health and Family Welfare Training centre in Chennai on December 1, 2022. Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP

1 December is World AIDS Day, South Africa has been the hardest hit by the HIV epidemic, global efforts by organisations such as the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, and The Global Fund have seen a steady decline in the HIV mortality rate in the country.

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Stats SA released its 2022 mid-year report that indicated that South Africa has 8.45 million HIV-positive people, making it the country with the largest HIV epidemic in the world.

Beginning of 2022 South Africa with other stakeholders joined four African countries including Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal and Congo to launch The Global Fund's $18 billion campaign that intends to cut HIV, TB and malaria deaths by 64%.

Despite the growing number of HIV-positive people in the country, life expectancy in the country has gradually increased over the last few mainly due to the efforts being made in prevention and treatment of HIV:

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Life expectancy, however, started picking up in 2007, partly due to the expansion of health programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission and access to antiretroviral treatment.

South Africa has the largest number of people enrolled in the ART programme in the world, thanks to the global efforts of many organisations but the goal of ending HIV by 2030 might not be achieved planned.

ALSO READ: ARV injection: Once a month long-acting HIV treatment

WORLD AIDS DAY: ENDING HIV/AIDS BY 2030 OFF TRACK The United Nations in September 2015 adopted the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development, in the agreement they said:

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By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ant nio Guterres, said that they are off track to achieving this goal.

The world has promised to end AIDS by 2030 , said @antonioguterres, but we are off track.

The chief is marking #WorldAIDSDay today with a call to action to end the inequalities that are blocking progress towards eradicating the virus.

https://t.co/7bwVfWFoJy pic.twitter.com/6JsVn4PlsK

UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) December 1, 2022

SOUTH AFRICAN HIV STATS The South African HIV stats released by Stats SA mid-year 2022:

8.45 million people in the country are HIV positive.

An estimated 13,9% of the total population is HIV positive.

South Africa increased from an estimated 3,68 million in 2002 to 8,45 million by 2022.

South Africa has the largest number of people enrolled in ART programme in the world.

Almost a fourth of South African women in their reproductive ages (15-49 years) are HIV positive.

ALSO READ: HIV variant shows urgent need for treatment

HIV GLOBAL STATS The global HIV stats as reported by UNAIDS:

38.4 million people globally were living with HIV in 2021.

1.5 million people became newly infected with HIV in 2021.

650 000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2021.

28.7 million people were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2021.

84.2 million people have become infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic.

40.1 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic.

ALSO READ: PrEP: Everything you need to know about the HIV prevention medication

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