Global HIV/AIDS

South Africa

HIV/AIDS in South Africa

19.1% Estimated HIV Prevalence
(Age 15–49)(2013)
200,000 Estimated AIDS Deaths (2013)
2,400,000 Estimated Orphans due to AIDS (2013)
2,010,340 Reported Number of Adults Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)(2013)
81% Estimated ART Coverage per WHO 2010 Guidelines (2012)

SOURCE:
UNAIDS Gap Report, 2014; UNAIDS Global Report, 2013

Strategic Focus

CDC began its collaboration with South African non-governmental and community-based organizations in 1989 to address the country’s growing HIV issues. In 1994, CDC strengthened its support and began working with the government of South Africa to develop national HIV clinical, ethical, and research guidelines along with HIV and TB service delivery programs.

Since the launch of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, this support rapidly expanded and today strategically focuses on:

HIV prevention, care, and treatment
Integration of HIV and TB care and treatment
Health workforce capacity
Laboratory capacity, health information systems, and surveillance and response systems that include other diseases of national significance
Creation of a policy and legal framework for a National Public Health Institute to serve as a single accountable agency for public health and rapid response to health threats

Key Activities and Accomplishments

Successful Transition of HIV services in 2013!
CDC has positively affected South Africa’s HIV epidemic through providing quality prevention, care, and treatment services. South Africa successfully transitioned HIV services from four U.S.-supported organizations to local partners in 16 districts, and successfully moved several critical private sector partnerships to facilitate HIV service delivery.

Data-Driven Policy for Improved Performance
CDC supports the collection of HIV data through national population-based surveys. Data from these surveys are then analyzed to inform policy development to better support HIV efforts and improve performance. CDC also assists South Africa with developing national policy guidelines. A recent example of this was the development of guidelines for a more efficacious treatment regimen for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC)
South Africa is committed to circumcising 80% of South African men by 2015. Since 2010, PEPFAR has supported over 375,000 circumcisions and in 2012, CDC supported the circumcision of more than 94,000 men. Additionally, CDC supports the establishment of new VMMC sites, provision of surgical training and quality control, and mobilizing men to volunteer for circumcision. This VMMC program serves as an example of how a joint commitment and strong partnership with Ministries of Health can achieve remarkable progress.