<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

3. Statistics

The incidence of HIV/AIDS in South Africa is disturbing .

  • Approximately 2000 people become HIV positive daily!
  • Approximately 800 people die daily from AIDS-related diseases!
  • A statement of the Department of Health says, “More than 6,2 million South Africans were infected by HIV or AIDS by last year (2004), an increase of 700 000 from 2003”. ( The Cape Times , 12 July 2005).

Figure 4: A previous projection of HIV positive South Africans in the age group 15 to 59 years of age.

2001 2010
WithAIDS WithoutAIDS WithAIDS WithoutAIDS
B otswana 39,3 70,5 29,0 73,2
E thiopia 45,2 56,1 42,1 60,1
K enya 48,0 64,9 44,3 68,4
South Africa 49,0 65,7 35,5 68,3
S waziland 40,4 57,7 29,7 61,5
Z imbabwe 37,8 69,9 32,5 72,8
Z ambia 37,2 58,7 38,9 72,8

Life expectancy in some African states

AIDS orphans (under 15 years of age)

HOW SERIOUS IS THE HIV/AIDS CATASTROPHE REALLY ?

Health reporter , Cape Town

The role of poverty

The light-hearted argument about who came first, the hen or the egg, can be used when discussing the spread of AIDS, because poverty leads to the spread of the illness, while the illness adds to the enormous problem of poverty in South Africa.

The sick breadwinner is unable to earn money for the employer and can also not contribute money for the family’s needs, and also places an additional burden on the country’s health budget

Added to the terrible living conditions of many poor South Africans, is poor education and ignorance. This often leads to irresponsible behaviour. Unemployment results in people moving around in search of work and this contributes to the spread of the disease.

Another two aspects of poverty are that the patients’ chances of improved living conditions and better nutrition is just about impossible and on top of that the overcrowded houses and informal housing makes it impossible for the patient to improve his or her condition.

Who is affected?

It is mostly people in the 15 to 39-year age group that are HIV positive. They are also parents of young children who are often born HIV positive. But this age group is also economically the most active group in the community.

Although those who contract the virus most generally are in the 15 to 39-year age group, other age groups and groups other than the poor are not excluded from contracting the virus.

The management of social services

One aspect of the country’s management, specifically the management of social services, has to do with the care, or lack of care of the millions of AIDS orphans. According to some predictions, there will be no less than 2,5 million orphans under the age of 15 years by the year 2010! What is going to happen to these children? Who will look after them? How will they survive in an already poor community?

Infected and affected

Perhaps combating and management of the consequences of HIV/AIDS can be found in the word “affected”! One group of people are infected or run the risk of infection and will get the disease. The rest of us are affected – also those who think that they will never be infected.

Those that accept that they are affected will be part of the search for a solution.

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Geography grade 7. OpenStax CNX. Sep 09, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11021/1.1
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Geography grade 7' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask