Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Reuters NewMedia - Thursday, December 05, 2002
Alistair Thomson

But despite the promising trend the survey highlighted high infection levels among young children. It also urged the government to act quickly to give people with HIV the anti-retroviral drugs which can slow the onset of AIDS.

The findings, unveiled in Johannesburg by former President Nelson Mandela, indicated 11.4 percent of South Africans over two years of age were infected, suggesting a total of 4.5 million nationwide -- slightly less than previous estimates.

"We are hopeful (because) the majority of South Africans are taking HIV seriously...we will see a decline in HIV infections. We are already seeing it among youth, as reported by UNAIDS, and that is consistent with increased condom use, " said the report's principal investigator, Olive Shisana.

Some 9.3 percent of South Africans aged 15 to 24 years were found to have HIV -- below the overall national average.

Billed as the first nationally representative study on HIV prevalence, the report was compiled by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Children's Fund and the Human Sciences Research Council from tests and interviews with over 8,000 people.

South Africa has more people with HIV than any other country, though the figure of 4.5 million is below the 4.8 million estimated by the department of health in 2001 and the five million given by the United Nations body UNAIDS.

MANY CHILDREN INFECTED

But the survey also showed 5.6 percent of children aged two to 14 had HIV -- more than could be explained by transmission from mother to child, or reported sexual activity, Shisana said. "It remains unclear as to how these children could have been infected and further investigation will consider sexual abuse and exposure to unsterilized needles, among other factors," the report's authors said in a summary.

Infection rates were highest for people aged 25 to 29, at 28 percent, and 30 to 34, at 24 percent.

Researchers found strong public demand for more resources to fight AIDS, in particular more anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs).

"The government should roll out an ARV therapy program for both preventing mother to child transmission and (for) all persons living with AIDS as soon as possible," said the report.

ARVs are available to people with private medical care but the government has refused to distribute them in state hospitals, citing finance and safety concerns.

On Wednesday, Mandela's foundation and the South African Medical Association announced a joint initiative to provide free anti-retroviral treatment to 9,000 public sector patients.

Earlier this year the cabinet acknowledged for the first time ARVs could have a role in treating HIV patients, but has yet to start its own pilot schemes for state provision.

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