It plays itself out behind closed doors. People are suffering silently, in hospices and hospital wards and in isolation in their homes. The front-line troops in this war are gentle souls who have committed themselves to the saintly task of attending to the dying. As I accompanied caregivers on their rounds-(6:6) .
Magnitude.
The magnitude of AIDS and HIV infected people is tremendous. "A Quarter of a million South Africans were killed by AIDS last year. According to official figures .
released on March 20th, the epidemic is getting worse. Last year, roughly 4.7 million South Africans one in nine Carried the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS. This is 12 percent more than in 1999- (8214: 55). Due to the fact that half of the population is too young to be at much risk the futcher looks poor. The above data was derived from tests performed on expected mothers in public ante-natal clinics. This gives a rough estimate for sexualy active adults. "The latest survey found that 24.5 percent of women so tested were HIV positive, up from 22.4 percent in 1999- (8214:55). Eventhough South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang is glad that the rate of infection has slowed in the last 3 years over all, there is still much needed aid that needs to be given to the worst off province, KwaZulu-Natal. In KwaZulu-Natal an even greater 36 percent of women tested positive for HIV and AIDS. "By the gloomiest projections, half of the population will eventually die of the disease- (8214:55).
Orphans.
Young people especialy young women are especially vulnerable to AIDS. Since husbands and wifes infect each other, South Africa will see a dramatic increase in the number of orphans. 2 million orphans are expected by 2010 many of which were infected with AIDS at birth. Orphans are usualy raised by family members, but many South African famlies are already dysfunctional and -in any event, the numbers are likely to prove overwhelming- (8210:9).