The Western Cape has the lowest HIV prevalence (7.4%) among South Africa’s nine provinces in 2022, and the second lowest (8.6%) in 2017, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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According to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), this amounts to 540 000 persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Western Cape, a decrease from 560 000 in 2017.
The data are based on the findings of the Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) for the Western Cape, which were released by the HSRC on Thursday.
According to the study’s overall principle investigator, Professor Khangelani Zuma of the HSRC, the survey found that in 2022, HIV prevalence in the province was greater among individuals aged 25 to 49 (10.8%), for both females (14.6%) and males (5.8%).
Meanwhile, HIV prevalence was higher in women (9%) than in men (5.6%).
‘HIV prevalence peaked at 12.9% amongst those aged 35 to 39 in 2022, from 23.4% in 2017 within the same age group.
‘There was a decrease in HIV prevalence in 2022 among all age groups younger than 30 to 34 years compared to 2017, apart from the age groups zero to 14; 15 to 19; and those 50 years and older.
‘The worsening prevalence among those younger than 24 years is deeply concerning, as it shows continued new infections from both horizontal and vertical transmissions,’ Zuma said.
SAnews stated this week that Mpumalanga will have the highest HIV prevalence in 2022, with an estimated 890 000 (PLHIV) in the province, followed by KZN.
Antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage in the Western Cape increased to 76.8% in 2022, up from 54.4% in 2017.
This results into an estimated 360 000 PLHIV in the province obtaining ART by 2022.
In 2022, ART use among all PLHIV in the province was lower in individuals aged 15 to 49 (76.5%) than in other age groups.
Males used ART at a lower rate (75.3%) than females (77.1%).
Furthermore, 76.2% of respondents in metropolitan areas used ART, compared to 81.4% in Cape Town.
The SABSSM VI survey, which took place between 2022 and 2023, aimed to keep track of HIV infection and behaviour in South Africa, assess the progress of South Africa’s national HIV and Aids, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.
The survey also indicated that in 2022, among all provinces, the Western Cape had the seventh highest proportion of PLHIV with viral load suppression (VLS) at 78.4%, up from 54.6% in 2017.
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Overall, VLS was lower in men (76%) than in women (79.7%).
VLS was similarly lower among those aged 50 and up (69.4%) than in other age groups.
The professor raised worry that PLHIV aged 25 to 49 years made up the bulk of PLHIV in the Western Cape, with 59.1% uninformed of their HIV status, 64.7% knowledgeable but not on ART, and 66.7% on ART but not VLS.
Adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 contributed disproportionately to treatment gaps, accounting for just 9.5% of all PLHIV.
Zuma remarked that in the Western Cape, the proportion of adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 who reported sex before the age of 15 increased from 14% in 2017 to 16.3% in 2022.
According to the poll, in the Western Cape, 6.7% of adults aged 15 and older reported having two or more sexual partners in 2022, up from 7.6% in 2017.
The proportion of adults aged 15 and older who reported having several sexual partners was double greater among males (8.9%) than females (4.4%), and higher among those aged 15 to 24 (19.1%) than in other age groups.
According to the poll, 22.1% of respondents reported using a condom with their most recent sexual partner in 2022, down from 26.6% in 2017, representing a 4.5% decrease.
Condom use with their most recent sexual partner among those aged 15 and up was greater among those aged 15 to 24 years (39.9%) and in metropolitan regions (22.5%), but it was similar across genders.
A larger proportion also stated that they had never or rarely (81.4%) used a condom with their most recent sexual partner. Only 13.4% said they had worn condoms practically every time.
The province’s youth aged 15 to 24 were more likely to use condoms with their most recent sexual partner (24%).
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Picture: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases / Unsplash
