HIV

In 1997, UNAIDS and WHO estimated that 84,000 people in Swaziland (18.5% of the population) were infected with HIV. This number more than tripled in two years with UNICEF's estimate of 300,000 (32% of the population) in 1999, giving Swaziland the third highest HIV sero-prevalence in the world. Death tolls are already high, and projections estimate that the number of deaths from AIDS between the year 2000 and 2015 will be at an astronomical 30,000 to 40,000 persons per year.

In 1992, sero-surveillance started in three groups of people: pregnant women going to Ante-Natal Care clinics (ANC), patients with sexually transmitted infections going to special STD clinics (STI), and TB patients (TB). With a sero-surveillance being performed every two years, you can see a steep upward trend in all three groups.

Our own figures from the home-based care / counselling project suggest this year that 95% of TB cases are now sero-positive, and estimate a rate of around 65% in the tested population.

 

In March 2004 GSH started supplying free antiretroviral drugs to the Lubombo population.  This was in main a government initiate, back by the Global Fund and the WHO.  Today, GSH has the second busiest ARV clinic in Swaziland (only the main government hospital sees more patients), and probably the most comprehensive follow up and data collection of any of the Swaziland hospitals.  In addition we are leading the way with paediatric ARV therapy.