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More than 6-million people live with HIV and Aids in SA (survey)


 An estimated 6.4 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2012, says the fourth South African National HIV Prevalence,Incidence and Behaviour Survey Report, officially launched on 1
April by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).

The 2012 survey is undertaken to collect data on the HIV status of individuals, and on the socio-demographic and behavioural factors that affect HIV prevalence (the proportion of people living with HIV in the country) and HIV incidence (new HIV infections in a given year).


Over 38,000 people were interviewed, with almost 29,000 agreeing to be tested for HIV. The estimated overall prevalence of HIV increased from 10.6% in 2008 to 12.2% in 2012, largely due to the combined effects of new infections and a successfully expanded antiretroviral treatment (ART) programme. The availability and use of ART has increased survival among HIV-infected individuals and by mid-2012, over 2 million people were on ART.


HIV prevalence in the 15-49 year age group was 18.8%, but was significantly higher in females (23.2%) than in males (14.5%).
There was a slight decline in HIV prevalence among youth aged 15-24 years from 8.7% in 2008 to 7.3% in 2012. As a result of the country’s successful prevention of mother to child transmission programme, HIV infection levels also further decreased in infants 12 months and younger, from 2.0% in 2008 to 1.3% in 2012.

The HIV incidence rates among women are of particular concern.The HIV incidence rate among female youth aged 15-24 years was over four times higher than for males in this age group (2.5% vs. 0.6%). With a HIV incidence rate of 4.5%, black African females aged 20-34 years had the highest incidence of HIV among the analysed population groups.

Compared with the 2008 data, there was a decline in condom use in all age groups, except for the 50 years and older group.

Among males over 15 years of age the uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision increased from 14.6% in 2008 to 18.6% in 2012,while traditional male circumcisions remained fairly stable (25.2% in 2008 and 26.1% in 2012). What is most encouraging is that the majority (51.6%) of youth aged 15-24 years were circumcised medically, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Northern Cape.

"I am pleased to see that more people with HIV are living longer, because of the hugely expanded treatment programme launched by the Government. The disproportionately high HIV prevalence levels among females in the country, and high HIV prevalence in unmarried cohabiting people, however, require a rethinking of conventional approaches of HIV prevention towards strategies that address the underlying socio-cultural norms in the affected communities," said Principal Investigator and HSRC CEO, Professor Olive Shisana.