Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - July 7 2000
Khadija Magardie
And South Africa, with a total of 4,2- million infections, has one of the highest numbers of people living with HIV/Aids in the world. But demographers and planners of HIV surveillance systems are increasingly producing results that suggest a dramatic difference in infection rates in different parts of the continent.
The countries in the sub-Saharan region are worst affected by the pandemic. In seven countries of Southern Africa, 20% of adults are infected with HIV. The nation with the highest prevalence in the region is Botswana, where 36% of adults are infected, which may be attributed partly to its geography: Francistown, for example, lies on a major truck route linking the continent with South Africa. The rates of infection in North and West Africa present a stark contrast. The rate remains relatively stable at just below 3%. Countries like Senegal have a relatively low rate of infection. Experts have attributed this to the existing social structures, traditional customs and substantially developed health infrastructure.
Many of the countries are traditionally Muslim and observe strict rules relating to sexual relationships. Premarital sex is taboo and women are traditionally married young.
Researchers have also found that customary practices like male circumcision decrease the risk of HIV infection. In addition, research has indicated that the presence of sexually transmitted diseases is found to be more common among uncircumcised men - placing them at greater risk of contracting HIV/Aids.
East Africa, which once had the highest infection rate on the continent, has also seen a slow-down in the rate of infection similar to that of West Africa.
According to a UNAids report released recently, vigorous education programmes have been responsible for rapidly bringing down the rate of infections in certain countries. Uganda, for instance, has galvanised the support of various sectors of society, such as religious organisations and community groups, to promote safer sex. This is believed to have contributed significantly towards the reduction of infection rates, particularly among rural women.
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