HIV/AIDS in South Africa

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HIV and AIDS in South Africa are a major health concern. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the retrovirus that causes the disease known as AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). South Africa has more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country.<ref>radiodiaries entry on "Just Another Day at the Biggest Hospital in the World"</ref> Many are treated at South Africa's Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, the world's largest hospital.

Most researchers believe that HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century.<ref name="Gao">Gao, F., Bailes, E., Robertson, D. L., Chen, Y., Rodenburg, C. M., Michael, S. F., Cummins, L. B., Arthur, L. O., Peeters, M., Shaw, G. M., Sharp, P. M. and Hahn, B. H. (1999). "Origin of HIV-1 in the Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes troglodytes". Nature 397 (6718): 436-441. PubMed DOI:10.1038/17130.</ref> In 2004, 21.5% of the adult South African population was estimated to be HIV positive^{[citation needed]}. A recent study<ref>from the African Journal of AIDS Research by Thomas Rehle and Olive Shisana^{[citation needed]}</ref> showed the infection rate starting to level off, from 4.2% to 1.7% infection rate for 15-49 year olds, and AIDS deaths peaking at 487,320 in 2008.

[edit] Government action

The government has recently, after much delay, devoted substantial resources to fighting the epidemic. In 2000, President Mbeki publicly questioned the importance of HIV in causing AIDS, controversially suggesting that the main cause was "poverty".<ref> BBC News: Controversy dogs Aids forum</ref> In 2001 the government appointed a panel of scientists, including a number of AIDS dissidents (who question the mainstream view on HIV), to report back on the issue. Following their report, the government stated that it continues to base its policy on the premise that the cause of AIDS is indeed HIV.<ref> BBC News: South African split over Aids </ref> The controversy has not abated, and organisations such as the Treatment Action Campaign continue to mount political and legal challenges to what they claim is the government's slow response to the epidemic.