World Aids Day: 10 key stats that highlight South Africa’s war on HIV/Aids

The fight against the HIV/Aids epidemic in South Africa may be slow but the gains are significant. This week, the Human Sciences Research Council released the Sixth South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour survey (SABSSM VI) which mapped out where and how the fight against the epidemic is being won.

Here are 10 statistics that highlight the country's strides in overcoming the world’s largest HIV epidemic:

1. Decrease in HIV Prevalence: From 2017 to 2022, HIV prevalence in South Africa has dropped from 14.0% to 12.7%. This translates to a reduction in the number of people living with HIV from 7.9 million to approximately 7.8 million.

2. Closer to UNAIDS Targets: The 2022 survey highlights substantial progress towards the ambitious UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. Currently, 90% of people aged 15 and above living with HIV are aware of their status, 91% of those are on antiretroviral treatment (ART), and 94% of those on ART have achieved viral load suppression. In December 2020, UNAIDS released a new set of ambitious targets calling for 95% of all people living with HIV to know their HIV status, 95% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to have viral suppression by 2025.

3. Improvement Since 2017: This marks a notable improvement compared to 2017, where the figures stood at 85%, 71%, and 87%, respectively, against the then UNAIDS targets of 90-90-90.

4. Increased Viral Suppression: In 2022, 81% of people living with HIV aged 15 years and older were virally suppressed, a significant rise from 62% in 2017.

5. Gender and Age Disparities: Viral suppression rates were higher among women (83%) compared to men (79%). However, the rate was lower among young adults aged 15–24 years (70%), with the lowest being men aged 25–34 years (66%).

6. Rise in Medical Circumcisions: Half of the young men aged 15–24 years were medically circumcised in 2022, up from 43% in 2017, contributing to HIV transmission risk reduction.

8. Geographic and Demographic Variations: HIV prevalence varies across regions, from 8% in Western Cape to 22% in KwaZulu-Natal. Prevalence is nearly twice as high in women (20%) compared to men (12%) and highest among black Africans (20%).

9. Young Females at Higher Risk: Young females face a disproportionately higher risk. HIV prevalence is about two to three times higher in young females compared to their male counterparts across various age groups.

10. Targeted Interventions Needed: These disparities highlight the need for focused interventions, especially among women, young people, and black South Africans.

The survey, a collaboration between multiple organisations, provides critical data to inform national strategies and interventions, underlining the collective efforts to end HIV in South Africa.

These statistics from the SABSSM VI report not only reflect the current state of the HIV epidemic, but also highlight the continued need for targeted, nuanced, and geographically specific strategies to sustain and amplify this progress.

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