Worldwide

• It is estimated that 40.3 million people around the world were living with HIV in 2006 – 43% are women and 6% are children. This is a 7.5% increase compared to the estimated 37.5 million in 2003.
• More than 60% of people living with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa.
• In 2004, it was estimated that there are 2.2 million orphaned children; nearly half of all orphans were estimated to have lost parents as a result of AIDS (UNAIDS, UNICEF, USAID, 2004). 
• The burden of HIV and AIDS on children has increased greatly. The number of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) has more than doubled in the past three years.

Department of Health (2007)

“We are starting to see little victories of a man and woman coming to get tested and then a week later the father brings his son. We are starting to see the tide changing.”
- Millicent Seela, Director of Knysna AIDS

South Africa

• The national adult (15 – 49 years) prevalence rate is estimated to be in the region of 18.8%, with about 5.54 million South Africans estimated to be living with HIV in 2005.
• Nationally, 30.2% of pregnant women attending public health facilities for antenatal care were HIV positive in 2005 – a slight increase from the recorded level of 29.5% in 2004. Women in the age group 20–34 years are the worst affected, with prevalence rates of up to 40% for the 25-29 age bracket.
• Women bear the brunt of the epidemic, accounting for 55% of people living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa. 
• A significant number of children in South Africa are living with HIV and AIDS. According to the 2005 HSRC survey, there are an estimated 129,621 children aged 2-4 years and 214,102 children aged 5-9 currently (2005) living with HIV and AIDS.

Department of Health (2007)

Western Cape

• The Western Cape’s current infection rate of 15.7% (2005) is dramatically up from 8.6% in 2001. 
• The Western Cape’s relatively low average masks pockets of extremely high prevalence like Khayelitsha with a rate of 33%.
• The highest levels of HIV infection in the province are reported in the Cape Metropole area and in Knysna/Plettenberg Bay, Stellenbosch and Caledon & Hermanus.
• Over the last 5 years, the 25-29 age group has shown consistently the highest levels of HIV infection, with an estimated one out of every five pregnant women in that age group attending public sector clinics being HIV positive.
• Recent trends also demonstrate a sharp increase in HIV prevalence in the older age groups (30-34 and 35+).

Department of Health Western Cape (2005)