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Diseases Impacting South Africa

Diseases Impacting South AfricaAccording to the World Bank, in South Africa, based on the upper-middle-income country poverty line, the poverty rate stood at about 63% in 2022. High poverty rates lead to poor living conditions and a lack of access to quality health care services and treatments. This results in a high burden of disease. Among the most common diseases impacting South Africa are SARS-CoV-2, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

Diseases Impacting South Africa

  1. SARS-CoV-2. As of April 20, 2023, South Africa has noted more than 4 million cases of COVID-19 and 102,595 COVID-19 related deaths. The country reported its first confirmed case in March 2020, and since then, SARS-CoV-2 has become one of the main diseases impacting South Africa. Considering the nation’s fragile health care system, in 2020, the World Health Organization made a commitment to strengthening South Africa’s pandemic response by educating more than 1,200 medical workers on infection prevention and control and training more than 1,400 people on case investigation and contact tracing. The WHO also helped to boost vaccination efforts. To date, health workers have administered more than 38 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. Researchers from Wits University and other partners ramped up COVID-19 testing efforts in South Africa by repurposing the Cepheid GeneXpert machine in May 2020, originally designed to test for tuberculosis (TB). This system allowed for testing faster and more extensively.
  2. HIV/AIDS. South Africa has the highest burden of HIV globally as it accounts for 20% of all cases, according to a UNAIDS publication from 2018. Poverty has significant links to HIV and South Africa is a country with many impoverished individuals. According to UNAIDS data from 2021, more than 7.5 million adults and children in South Africa have HIV infections. But, as of 2021, more than 5.5 million individuals in South Africa are on antiretroviral treatment, equating to almost 70% of all infected individuals. PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) is a U.S. initiative that aims to fight HIV/AIDS. PEPFAR began efforts to address HIV/AIDS in South Africa in 2004. PEPFAR efforts center around “27 high-burden districts throughout South Africa” and the South African government is partnering with PEPFAR to supply antiretroviral treatment to more than 4 million citizens.
  3. Tuberculosis. Commonly known as TB, this is a disease of poverty, which is why it is prevalent in South Africa. Tuberculosis is transmitted by airborne droplets, which makes it easily transmissible. Poor living conditions in crowded areas with little ventilation contribute to the spread of TB. A lack of education on this topic also increases the risk of a TB infection. In 2018, TB stood as the number one leading cause of death in the nation out of all diseases impacting South Africa. In 2021, for every 100,000 people in South Africa, 513 people had TB infections, according to the World Bank. PEPFAR also works in South Africa to reduce the transmission of TB.

Through the commitment of the government and organizations, the prevalence of diseases impacting South Africa can reduce and the well-being of South Africans can improve.

– Anna Konovalenko
Photo: Flickr

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COVID-19 Brings Positive Change to South Africa

covid-19 in south africaWhen COVID-19 came to the world stage in early 2020, many scientists worried about Africa’s response to the novel coronavirus. They were worried that African countries would not have the resources to combat the global pandemic. Given the continent’s past struggles to contain diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Ebola, concerns that Africa would be an epicenter for COVID-19 were well within reason. Fortunately, a comprehensive response has quelled these concerns, and COVID-19 may actually bring positive change to South Africa.

Swift Response

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, however, showed the world that not all African countries fit the stereotypes of squalor and poverty that many believed. His response to COVID-19 in South Africa has received praise and influenced the responses of nearby leaders. It seemed like he learned from his predecessors, and his swift and strict lockdown of the country prevented COVID-19 in South Africa from getting out of control. Even though COVID-19 shut down the country, responses to the disease have had a net positive effect on South Africa, initiating safety nets, public health initiatives and economic reforms. Here are 6 ways that COVID-19 has influenced positive change in South Africa and forced to country to look to the future.

How COVID-19 has Positively Changed South Africa

  1. Less Gang Violence: Gang violence has plagued South Africa for years, and Cape Town has seen some of the worst of it. In 2018, it was one of the most violent cities in the world, with 66 homicides per 100,000 people. But when COVID-19 hit South Africa in March 2020, gangs called for a national ceasefire and homicides fell more than 70%. South Africa’s lockdown also interrupted the drug supply chains, and many gang-afflicted communities in South Africa are feeling the reprieve.
  2. Fewer Alcohol-Related Deaths: South Africans have the highest rate of drinking out of any African country. This has lead to the country’s high rate of alcohol-related deaths. Part of the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa was also a ban on alcohol. Since the law passed, the country has seen fewer drinking-related deaths. One hospital’s trauma cases dropped by two-thirds after the ban took effect. The country saw a stunning 81% decrease in road fatalities over Easter weekend in 2020 compared to 2019. The alcohol ban hasn’t just decreased death rates, but it has also opened the country’s eyes to the drastic alcohol problem it faces.
  3. Better Welfare Services: The economic ramifications that came with shutting the country down led South Africa’s government to provide a $26 billion welfare and business support package. This was no small stimulus package. It was equivalent to about 10% of the nation’s GDP, and the plan is only predicted to grow as the pandemic continues. Businesses weren’t the only ones getting bailed out. Additional funds were set aside for child caregivers, and 6 million people were able to collect monthly unemployment benefits.
  4. Stronger Calls for Public Hygiene: COVID-19 in South Africa has also brought to light the need for stronger public health initiatives. The lockdown exposed the discrepancy between the number of people thought to have access to clean water and the number of people who can actually obtain it. A worldwide consensus that a strong healthcare system and robust public hygiene are essential to fighting coronavirus has developed. The consensus has put pressure on South Africa’s leadership to expand public health initiatives.
  5. Economic Reform: South Africa is still transitioning its economy from the legacy of apartheid. However, COVID-19 affected low-income families who work in manufacturing, tourism, service and transport more than any other group in the country. The economic devastation has been felt unequally across the country, further reinforcing the need for a new economic plan. A specific investigating unit has already been given permission to look into corruption. Further, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has planned widespread, structural reforms for state-owned enterprises. Essentially, South Africa missed its opportunity to transform its economy immediately after apartheid, but COVID-19 in South Africa has paved way for “New Deal” style economic reforms.
  6. Learning from the Past: The difference in South Africa’s response to COVID-19 when compared to its response to HIV (or really, the lack thereof) is a clear indicator that South Africa has learned from their past mistakes in crisis response. While South Africa is one of the most afflicted countries to date in Africa, healthcare professionals and activists in South Africa have commended the country’s quick response. As of early June, the country had conducted 635,000 COVID-19 tests, which was greater than many countries around the world. The country has even deployed thousands of health care workers to go door-to-door to do testing and screening.

While the pandemic in South Africa is not over by any means, it seems that the disease will not leave the country unchanged. Instead, COVID-19 has initiated positive change in South Africa and will leave in its wake a safer, more equitable society. South Africa will not only be more equipped to deal with diseases in the future, but will also treat its citizens fairly even absent a global pandemic.

– Hannah Daniel
Photo: Flickr

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What to Know About COVID-19 in South Africa

COVID-19 in South Africa
Reports of COVID-19 fill the news and media daily. From increases in cases and closures to decreases in fatality rates and re-openings, the news channels are consumed by COVID-19 headlines. However, one thing not covered much in the media is how African nations are faring during these uncertain times. South Africa is currently leading the African continent in the number of COVID-19 cases, and there is seemingly no end in sight. Here is a look at the specific impact of COVID-19 in South Africa.

Lockdown

COVID-19 in South Africa follows a similar origin path as the rest of the world, where the virus went undetected or misdiagnosed for weeks, maybe months, before its first confirmed positive case appeared. South Africa, like most nations, went into lockdown in late March. The South African government, as of April 27, 2020, planned to gradually loosen restrictions beginning on May 1, 2020.

The level of strictness for lockdowns varies from country to country. South Africa is one of the nations implementing strict restrictions for its lockdown. The country has been on Level 5 restrictions. Level 5 restrictions prohibit citizens from performing the majority of activities, including leisurely ones such as exercise or going to the convenience store. Furthermore, the police may confront anyone who leaves their dwellings.

Numbers

The reported numbers in South Africa are much lower than those reported around the world. This may be the result of strict lockdown enforcement as opposed to some nations with looser lockdown restrictions. As of April 28, 2020, the African country reported 4,996 confirmed coronavirus cases and 93 deaths. South Africa is also experiencing a recovery rate of approximately 25 percent, which is a significant factor in the government’s decision to begin loosening restriction laws.

Despite large numbers of recovering patients, COVID-19 in South Africa has not gone away. The number of cases continues to rise, much like the rest of the world. On March 5, 2020, South Africa diagnosed its first patient with COVID-19. On April 15, 2020, the nation had a total of 2,605 confirmed cases, with 4,996 by the end of April. Although the virus is not going away anytime soon, South Africans are certainly doing their part to reduce the spread of the virus.

Social Distancing

Social distancing is the practice of remaining apart from others to decrease the spread of the virus. South Africa has been on lockdown and enforcing social distancing since late March, about a month after the nation diagnosed its first COVID-19 patient. On May 1, the government loosened the restrictions to Level 4. Level 4 restrictions consist of the ability to travel nationally, but not internationally. A few small local businesses also opened.

Moving Forward

In South Africa and around the world, people are social distancing and quarantining. For COVID-19 to be successfully tackled in South Africa, the nation must continue to prioritize the health of its citizens and financially support those who are struggling with unemployment and poverty. This will hopefully result in a significant drop in the number of cases in the country. Moving forward, South Africa and other nations around the world should use the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for future pandemics and epidemics.

– Cleveland Lewis 
Photo: Flickr