30 percent of pregnant women HIV positive — SA report
By, The Harald, July 22, 2007
Just over 30 percent of pregnant women in South Africa are infected with the HIV/Aidsvirus, according to a government report released yesterday which estimated that 5,5 million South Africans are living with HIV/Aids.
The survey, conducted in October 2005 and released yesterday by the Department of Health, said the figures showed little increase over 2004. It said this was a sign that the level of new infections was levelling out.
"This is encouraging to note, but a great deal of work still needs to be done to ensure that new infections no longer take place at all in South Africa," said Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang in the foreword to the report.
South Africa has the highest number of people living with the virus in the world, accounting for more than one eighth of the estimated 40,3 million cases.
The government has often been accused of doing too little to prevent and treat the disease, even though it has done much to step up its care and treatment program, which recently became the largest in the world.
President Thabo Mbeki used to question the link between HIV and Aids and the health minister, in particular, has attracted the wrath of health activists for preaching the benefits of garlic and beetroot rather than antiretroviral medicines.
But the survey said there were finally grounds for hope that new infections had peaked.
It said that HIV prevalence among teenagers was an estimated 15,9 percent in 2005, down from 16,1 percent the previous year. — AFP.
Source: http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=6464&cat=2&livedate=7/22/2006
Just over 30 percent of pregnant women in South Africa are infected with the HIV/Aidsvirus, according to a government report released yesterday which estimated that 5,5 million South Africans are living with HIV/Aids.
The survey, conducted in October 2005 and released yesterday by the Department of Health, said the figures showed little increase over 2004. It said this was a sign that the level of new infections was levelling out.
"This is encouraging to note, but a great deal of work still needs to be done to ensure that new infections no longer take place at all in South Africa," said Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang in the foreword to the report.
South Africa has the highest number of people living with the virus in the world, accounting for more than one eighth of the estimated 40,3 million cases.
The government has often been accused of doing too little to prevent and treat the disease, even though it has done much to step up its care and treatment program, which recently became the largest in the world.
President Thabo Mbeki used to question the link between HIV and Aids and the health minister, in particular, has attracted the wrath of health activists for preaching the benefits of garlic and beetroot rather than antiretroviral medicines.
But the survey said there were finally grounds for hope that new infections had peaked.
It said that HIV prevalence among teenagers was an estimated 15,9 percent in 2005, down from 16,1 percent the previous year. — AFP.
Source: http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=6464&cat=2&livedate=7/22/2006
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 10:46 am
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