As the world observes World Aids Day today, experts remain concerned about the high
number of young people contracting the disease.
According to UNAIDS figures, 7.8-million South Africans are living with HIV, with young people accounting for half of this figure.
A Human Sciences Research Council 6th South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, Behaviour and Communication Survey found that young women continue to be disproportionately infected with HIV.
The 2023 report found that the HIV prevalence among adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 years was 6.9%, compared to 3.5% among males of the same age.
The CEO of Soul City Institute for Social Justice, Phinah Kodisang, said the high rate of HIV/Aids infections among the nation’s youth could be attributed to a decline in funding for non-profit groups that provide awareness programmes.
Soul City Institute for Social Justice is an NGO that advocates for the health of marginalised communities.
“Funding has been shrinking in spaces like television and radio dramas that would educate young people about the virus, prevention and treatment.
“Budget cuts have impacted organisations in pushing for young people to be on the safest path, which is to remain negative rather than treating the virus,” said Kodisang.
The SA National Aids Council said in December 2022, the global fund allocated South
Africa an additional R8-billion for HIV and TB programs from April 2025 to March 2028.
Kodisang said 1200 new infections among young women aged 15 to 19 are detected each week.
“Due to the rape culture and a lack of education, the number of young people catching the virus is constantly increasing.”
Dr Themba Moeti, CEO of Health Systems Trust, said the reason the virus is more prevalent in the youth is because the majority were either absent or younger when HIV deaths occurred.
“The ignorance comes with knowing there is treatment and that the lifespan of people who live with HIV has increased.
“The tragedy is that infection rates amongst young women or the prevalence rates are double what they are in young men of the same age.
“Quite often, there is a difference in the kind of sexual partners young women have, as they often choose older men, who have gone to certain stages with different people.”
Deputy President Paul Mashatile will preside over the government’s official World Aids Day commemoration event in Buffalo City today.
