John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
HIV/AIDS in Africa - Statistics & Facts
HIV/AIDS is currently the eighth leading cause of death in Africa, accounting for almost five percent of all deaths in 2021. At that time, HIV/AIDS was not among the leading 20 causes of death in any other region in the world. In many countries around the world HIV/AIDS is no longer the public health threat that it once was thanks to education, the use of contraception, and the introduction of modern prevention and treatment medicines which can halt the progression to AIDS and prevent transmission to others. However, due to poverty, inadequate medical care, a lack of prevention and education, and stigma, HIV/AIDS continues to be a major health concern in Africa. Rates of HIV/AIDS vary across Africa, but the southern region of the continent is generally most impacted by the disease.
Which country has the highest prevalence of HIV?
As of 2022, the twenty countries with the highest prevalence of HIV were all found in Africa. At that time, the country with the highest prevalence of HIV was the tiny southeastern country of Eswatini, formally known as Swaziland, where a shocking 26 percent of the population is living with HIV. Behind Eswatini are the countries of Lesotho, South Africa, and Botswana, with prevalence rates between 16 and 19 percent. In Lesotho, there were around three new HIV infections per 1,000 people in 2023, compared to 4.2 new infections per 1,000 population in Eswatini, and 2.7 in South Africa. Although HIV is usually associated with certain at-risk groups such as people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and sex workers, these groups do not account for the majority of new HIV infections in eastern and southern Africa. In 2021, around 54 percent of new HIV infections in Eastern and Southern Africa were among the population outside of these key risk groups.Treatment and death
In 2023, around 183 thousand males and 196 thousand females in sub-Saharan Africa died from HIV/AIDS. Those aged 25 to 49 years accounted for the majority of these deaths, however, a significant number of deaths from HIV/AIDS also occurred among children and adolescents. At that time, around 65 thousand children aged 14 years and younger died from HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Sadly, although treatment for HIV has been extremely successful in various parts of the world, many people in Africa suffering from the virus do not have access to treatments that can prevent transmission and halt the progression to AIDS. As of 2023, around 83 percent of people in Eastern and Southern Africa living with HIV were on antiretroviral treatment. However, access to antiretroviral treatment can vary drastically by country. For example, around 98 percent of children living with HIV in Eswatini are receiving antiretroviral treatment, while only 29 percent of children living with HIV in Nigeria are receiving such treatment. Although progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS on the African continent, much work still needs to be done in preventing the spread of infection and providing treatment to those who are suffering from the virus.
