HIV

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HIV

Abstract

HIV is one of the major viruses that claim the lives of many people in the world today. South Africa is considered to have the biggest HIV epidemic in the world. Since it emerged, HIV has been the worst pandemic condition that affects the human race. Without a vaccine to help treat or control the disease, HIV is continuing to spread among the general population of South Africa. South Africa is one of the economically developing countries in Africa, and the rate of HIV infection is considered the highest in the world. The high number of HIV infections in the country has raised eyebrows from the government, NGOs and even international bodies. So far, this high rate has brought about severe social and economic concerns in the country.

Various efforts have been put in place by the government and other bodies to help curb the disease. The country has the biggest ART programme in the whole world and in recent years, it has undergone more expensing particularly with the implementation of the “test and treat” guidelines. At the same time, South Africa is the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to entirely approve the use of PrEP, available for those at high risk of infection. Even though a lot of effort has been put in place to reduce the spread of HIV, the rate of HIV prevalence in the country is still at an alarming rate. To effectively control the spread of the disease in South Africa, it is essential to understand the prevalence of HIV among the population of the country. This research paper is, therefore, going to examine the prevalence of HIV in the country. It will examine the populations that are most affected and why. At the same time, it is going to examine how basic geographical concepts that can have an impact on the spread of HIV in the country.

 

References

De Oliveira, Tulio et al. (2016) Transmission networks and risk of HIV infection in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a community-wide phylogenetic study The Lancet HIV, Vol 4, Issue 1, e41 – e50

Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) (2014) South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey, 2012.

Johnson, L., F., Dorrington, R., E., Moolla, H., (2017) Progress towards the 2020 targets for HIV diagnosis and antiretroviral treatment in South Africa. South African Journal of HIV Medicine, vol18, issue 1, 2078-6751.

Moore et al., (2017) Self-testing: an effective means of increasing HIV-testing and status awareness. International AIDS Society Conference.

South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) (2017) Let our actions count: South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs 2017-2022.