JOHANNESBURG, Dec 5 (AFP) - A report on AIDS in South Africa released Thursday shows that the rate of HIV infection among the black population is twice as high as among whites and coloureds (mixed race).
The study, sponsored by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and carried out by the parastatal Human Sciences Research Council, gives a 12.9 percent prevalence among blacks, 6.2 percent among whites and 6.1 percent among coloureds, based on saliva samples taken from 8,400 participants, including children.
"The white prevalence rate is high compared to countries such as Australia, France and the United States, where prevalence amongst whites was about one percent," the report noted.
The study, the first household survey on the disease carried out in South Africa, extrapolates that some 4.5 million of South Africa's 46 million people people are infected with HIV or have full-blown AIDS.
That compares with an estimation of five million infected people announced by the United Nations at the end of November. It gave an HIV infection rate of 20.1 percent among adult South Africans.
Until now, South Africa based its figures on statistics taken from antenatal clinics where pregnant women were being given anti-AIDS drugs.
The South African report, handed to former president Mandela in Johannesburg, showed that 95 percent of participants were in favour of free AIDS drugs for all.
"The study has found a strong public support for the provision of anti-retroviral drugs to prevent mother-to-child transmission and the treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS," Mandela told reporters.
"This study is a watershed in our fight against HIV/AIDS. Equally, we have to redouble our fight against the epidemic," Mandela said.
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