6m in SA with HIV/Aids

IN JULY last year it was revealed by Statistics SA that approximately 6 million South Africans are living with HIV/Aids.

Of this figure, 16.6% were aged 15 to 49. In addressing captains of industry and others in Durban earlier this year, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said the return of the Aids conference to the city indicated how far South Africa had come since the event was last hosted here 16 years ago.

“At the last conference, Nelson Mandela said the meeting was about turning around one of the greatest threats humankind has faced,” he said.

“That speech, and the conference as a whole, changed how the world responded to HIV.

“When Madiba spoke, very few South Africans had access to ARVs (Antiretroviral drugs).

“Today, more than 2.5 million people are on ARVs in our country.’’

Dr Olive Shisane, chief executive of the SA Human Sciences Research Council (SAHSRC) and local chairman of the conference, said that while great strides had been made in the last decade, much more needed to be done.

“Nobody should be dying of Aids today.

“Young women, men who have sex with men, sex workers and (drug) users need our support.

“This is why this event is important,’’ she said.

According to the joint UN Programme on HIV Aids, in 2012 South Africa registered more than 450 000 new HIV infections. This was a dramatic drop from the 640 000 new infections in 2001.