Deprecated: Required parameter $product_name follows optional parameter $slug in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php on line 115 Deprecated: Required parameter $version follows optional parameter $slug in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php on line 115 Deprecated: Required parameter $module_type follows optional parameter $slug in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php on line 115 Deprecated: Required parameter $product_name follows optional parameter $slug in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php on line 147 Deprecated: Required parameter $version follows optional parameter $slug in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php on line 147 Deprecated: Required parameter $module_type follows optional parameter $slug in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php on line 147 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-content/plugins/responsive-add-ons/analytics/includes/class-analytics.php:115) in /customers/3/4/4/whid.co/httpd.www/wp-includes/rest-api/class-wp-rest-server.php on line 1831 {"id":700,"date":"2015-10-21T06:59:58","date_gmt":"2015-10-21T06:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/whid.co\/?p=700"},"modified":"2015-10-21T06:59:58","modified_gmt":"2015-10-21T06:59:58","slug":"sa-makes-major-strides-in-hiv-treatment-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/whid.co\/sa-makes-major-strides-in-hiv-treatment-and-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"SA makes major strides in HIV treatment and prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"
The latest health barometer suggests mother-to-child transmissions and maternal mortality are decreasing among other significant improvements made.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n
\"An <\/a><\/figure>\n

South Africa has made significant strides in HIV prevention and treatment in the past decade. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV being has dropped to 1.5% \u2013 as many of 30% of HIV-infected mothers transmitted the virus to their babies in the early 2000s.\u00a0 The latest rate is lower than the national target of 2%, according to the 10th edition of the District Health Barometer<\/em>, an annual publication that provides a detailed breakdown of public health services in the country.<\/p>\n

The publication, which was released by the research organization, Health Systems Trust, in Pretoria on Tuesday, also notes that 91% of HIV-positive pregnant women in government clinics are on anti-retro viral therapy \u2013 \u201cthe highest level since 2011\/12\u201d.<\/p>\n

Maternal mortality down
\n<\/strong>There has also been a slight decrease in the national institutional maternal mortality ratio \u2013 the number of women in health facilities who died during pregnancy, child birth or 42 days thereafter. The institutional maternal mortality ratio in 2014\/15 was 132.5 per 100\u00a0000 births, down from 133.3 per 100\u00a0000 live births. This is, however, still higher than the national target of 100 per 100\u00a0000.<\/p>\n

Authors of the publication believe that this marginal decrease \u201cis mainly related to a decrease in the number of deaths from non-pregnancy-related infections, including HIV-related deaths. The number of maternal deaths with HIV as the underlying cause is expected to decrease further with more HIV-positive pregnant women on anti-retro viral treatment,\u201d the Health Barometer<\/em> states<\/p>\n

HIV spread
\n<\/strong>An estimated 6.8 million people in South Africa are HIV positive. Although there has been a momentous increase in access to treatment, the publication notes with concern the continuing spread of HIV. \u201cThere were 469 000 new infections recorded at the end of 2012, with particularly high incidence levels among young women aged 15\u201324 years. Fueling the spread of the disease is the reported decline in knowledge levels about HIV, and an increase in risky sexual behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the District Health Barometer<\/em>, South Africa has a high incidence of both HIV and tuberculosis (TB). It is the leading cause of death in people with HIV. The World Health Organization estimates that people with HIV are between 20 and 32 times more likely to develop TB than those without HIV.<\/p>\n

Other findings of the District Health Barometer<\/em> include:<\/p>\n