Northern Cape ranks as the second-lowest with HIV prevalence rate, survey reports

THE Sixth South African HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour Survey (SABSSM VI) found the Northern Cape had the second-lowest HIV prevalence rate at 8.2% in 2022 compared to other provinces.

The key findings were released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on Monday at a provincial dialogue held at the Kalahari Lodge in Kimberley.

This translates to an estimated 120,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the province, which is 21,000 more than in 2017.

The SABSSM VI survey was conducted between 2022 and 2023.

The survey aimed to maintain surveillance of HIV infection and behaviours in the country, evaluate the progress of the South African National HIV and AIDS, STI and TB Strategic Plan, and monitor HIV indicators for national and international reporting.

The survey's key objectives included estimating HIV prevalence and incidence, measuring viral load suppression, and assessing exposure to HIV-related services among adults and children.

It also assessed progress towards the 2030 Joint UN Programme on HIV and Aids (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets, HIV drug resistance, and the relationship between social and behavioural factors, intimate partner violence, and HIV infection.

The survey found 3.3% young people aged between 15 to 24 have HIV, of which women ranked higher with 5.0% compared to males with 1.8% in 2022.

People aged 25 to 49 scored 12.6% with HIV being common among women (14.9%), unlike men (9.6%).

HIV prevalence was also higher among those residing in urban areas (9.6%) and lower among those residing in rural informal or tribal areas (7.6%).

The HIV prevalence among those aged 35 to 39 was 25.7% in 2022.

The survey highlighted the practice of having multiple sexual partners as an indicator of HIV prevalence. Around 11.0% of people aged 15 and older said they had multiple sexual partners in 2022, compared to 8.4% in 2017.

Of the mentioned statistics, males were leading the pack with 11.2% of having multiple sexual partners, while women accounted for 5.4%. Also, data reported the prevalence of multiple sexual partners was high in urban areas (9.2%).

The survey raised alarm in the practice of safe sex as 30.4% of people said they used a condom with a recent partner in 2022, compared to 39.9% in 2017.

Another great concern was that 27.8% of people aged 25 to 49 said they used condom with a recent partner, whilst their counterpart age group between 15 to 24 scooped 54.3%.

Male condom use scored 34.9% higher than females, who grabbed 25.7%.

Additionally, there was less condom use in rural areas with 14.6%, meanwhile urban areas showed positive results in safe sex practice, recording 32.0%. These results may highlight there is limited access to condoms in rural areas.

The survey further reported 52.3% Northern Cape citizens have never used a condom with a recent sexual partner, unlike the 7.6% who used condoms almost every time.

The province showed positive strides in the uptake of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for people with HIV.

ART coverage increased from 54.9% in 2017 to 86.2% in 2022. This translates to an estimated 103,440 PLHIV in the province receiving ART in 2022.

The survey spotlighted that awareness about HIV testing among males was quite lower (89.6%) than females (91.5%).

Access to HIV testing sites is important for scaling up the utilisation of HIV testing services. The survey stated most people aged 15 years and older had accessed public clinics or doctors for HIV testing (65.4%).

Professor Khangelani Zuma of the HSRC, the study’s overall principal investigator, recommended a long-term strategy that would prevent the widespread of HIV.

“We also recommend a continued focus on increasing coverage and demand for medical male circumcision among males aged 15 years and older. We must also enhance public awareness and uptake of effective HIV prevention measures, such as regular HIV testing, condoms and PrEP,” said Zuma.

The survey also called for urgent interventions to address the HIV epidemic as a public health threat by 2030, specifically targeting HIV widespread among girls and young women, who require intensified prevention efforts.