HIV deaths are rising and has become one of the major underlying cause of death in South Africa, this according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) latest report on deaths between the period of 1997- 2001.
The report found that the five leading underlying causes of death among South Africans are unnatural causes, ill-defined causes, TB, HIV and influenza/ pneumonia.
The report was a response to a controversial Medical Research Council (MRC) report that was released last year, which found 40% of deaths of those aged between 15 and 49 in the year 2000, were due to Aids. It also predicted that Aids would have killed between five and seven-million South Africans by 2010.
This report was commissioned by cabinet after uproar over the MRC report to clarify trends and challenges in respect of various causes of death.
A Task Team making up representatives from the Stats SA, MRC, department of Health, Home Affairs and Social Services were charged to look at the general cause of death in South Africa.
The findings showed that while infectious diseases have grown in prominence as causes of death, unnatural causes such as injuries, motor accidents, suicide and drowning still constitute the highest underlying causes of death among young males.
There has been a shift in mortality patterns over the period under review, with HIV, TB and pneumonia emerging as major underlying causes of death. This emerging pattern is most pronounced among the age between 15 to 49 years of age.
Females are more likely to be certified as having died from HIV, influenza and pneumonia, while there is a high prevalence of unspecified unnatural causes and TB among males.
The study showed that the issue of death certificates needs to be looked at as most certificates are vague and do not stipulate the exact cause of death mostly with regards to HIV/Aids.
The Health department has recommended the need to implement the country’s Aids strategy, combining awareness and change in lifestyles, systematic treatment of opportunistic infections and the use of antiretroviral and alternative medication to reduce the impact of HIV.
”It is also clear that an adequate national response to the challenge of TB is critical to the ability of our Health Service to cope with our complex burden of disease,” says Jo-Anne Collinge, spokesperson for the department of health. She says that government will continue to invest in the overall strengthening of the health systems.