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ZIWAPHI • VOL 4 NO 9 • 7 - 13 May 2010

STANDERTON

Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza took part in  a public HIV test on Friday as a part of the government’s HIV counselling and testing campaign to test 15 million people countrywide by June next year. In Mpumalanga, the aim is to test 1.3 million people across the province.

Mpumalanga Department of Health and Social Development spokesperson Mpho Gabashane said that government took the decision to officially launch the campaign in Standerton because the Lekwa local municipality has the highest HIV prevalence in the province and is situated in the Gert Sibande district, which has the fourth-highest HIV prevalence rate in the country, at 40.5%.

“It should also be noted that Mpumalanga is second-highest in terms of HIV prevalence in the country, after KwaZulu-Natal,” Gabashane said.

According to the 2008 National Antenatal Sentinel HIV and Syphilis Prevalence Survey, Mpumalanga is the only province that has shown an increase in the overall prevalence rate in the preceding three years, from 32.1% in 2006 and 34.6% in 2007 to 35.5% in 2008. According to the survey, the latter percentage is the highest Mpumalanga has recorded since the start of the epidemic.

Comparing districts in the province, the survey also states that Ehlanzeni is the only one that has shown a decrease in HIV prevalence in the last three years, from 31.9% in 2006 to 31.4% in 2008. Nkangala district’s rate increased from 26.8% in 2006 to 31.8% in 2008, while Gert Sibande district increased from 38.9% in 2006 to 40.5% in 2008.