HIV in South Africa: Deaths drop by 80% as treatment uptake grows
An estimated 7.8-million people are living with HIV in South Africa and three-quarters (5.9-million people) are on antiretroviral medicine. Thanks to these drugs, the number of people dying from Aids has fallen significantly since 2004.
Just over 50,000 people died from Aids in 2023, the Thembisa mathematical model of HIV in South Africa estimates, and about 266,000 people died in 2004. This represents an 80% decrease in fatalities.
Fewer people are getting infected with HIV, with the number of new infections falling by 70% from 500,000 in 2004 to 149,000 in 2023.
Globally, 39.9-million people are living with HIV, according to World Health Organization estimates. South Africa accounts for about 20% of these cases, followed by India with an estimated 2.5-million, Mozambique (2.4-million) and Nigeria (2-million). Of all the people living with HIV, 77% were accessing treatment in 2023, the WHO estimates.
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