13% kids RSA HIV orphans
Posted by Miriam Mannak on July 27, 2009
About 1.5 million South Africans older then 15 years, and 106.000 children, will be in need but do not have access to antiretroviral treatment (ARV) by the end of 2009, new figures by Statistics South Africa (STATSA) show. Compared to the previous year, 1.420.000 adults and 91.000 children were in need of HIV medication.
This could mean that the South African government is losing grip on HIV, which at this pace will infect 413.000 South Africans, including 59.000 children, by the end of 2009.
ARVs are drugs that are used to prolong the lives of people living with HIV.
On the slightly brighter side, the 2009 mid year population report estimates that 800.000 South Africans aged 15 and older will be on ARV treatment by the time 2009 draws to a close, compared to 655.000 during the previous year. Furthermore, 2009 will see 70.000 children on HIV medication, which is an increase of over 30 percent compared to 2008.
Apart from that, there is not a lot of reason for optimism. While 10.6 percent of the entire population of 48 million is HIV positive, the statistics for people aged 15-49 is much higher. STATSA expects that by the end of 2009, 17 percent of this demographic group will be living with HIV.
All in all, 5.21 million South Africans will be living with the virus this year – compared to 5.06 million in 2008.
One of the most shocking developments however, concerns the number of Aids orphans in South Africa. Up until recently, it was estimated that South Africa had 1.5 million Aids orphans. By the time 2009 makes place for 2010, the number of children (people younger then 15) who have lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS will have risen to a staggering 1.91 million.
South Africa’s children population (people below 15 years of age) is estimated to be 31.8 percent of the total population, which comes down to 15-odd million individuals.
This means that almost 13 percent of South African children have lost one of both parents due to HIV/AIDS.
Copyright content: Miriam Mannak / All rights reserved
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This entry was posted on July 27, 2009 at 2:29 pm and is filed under HIV/AIDS in Africa: News. Tagged: 2 million aids orphans south africa, 2009 mid year population estimates StATSA, access ARV africa, access ARV South Africa, access HIV treatment, Aids africa, aids orphans, Aids south africa, antiretroviral, ARV, cape town, children ARV, Children HIV, crisis, HIV, HIV africa, HIV AIDS, HIV Aids africa, HIV medication, hiv news, HIV orphans south africa, HIV positive, HIV research, HIV south africa, HIV south africa 2009, HIV sub saharan africa, HIV treatment, miriam mannak, new HIV infections 2009, news aids, people living with HIV, south africa, south africa aids orphans, south african population, statsa HIV 2009, statsa report. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
