The Challenge of TB in South Africa

The largest health challenge ever and perhaps the most important human challenge since apartheid facing South Africa is the epidemic of HIV and its symbiotic partner TB. In 2014, there were 36.9 million people living with HIV in the world – more than 30% of these are in Southern Africa.

South Africa, with more than 6 million people living with HIV, will remain the country with the highest number of HIV infected people until the end of the epidemic. With high levels of new infections in some populations and increasing risk behavior in the country, the challenge is far from nearing its end in South Africa.

There has been a parallel increase in TB incidence as the HIV crisis has deepened – South Africa has the 3rd highest population of TB sufferers in the world with 80% of the population having been infected, albeit mainly with latent infection, and 1% of the population presenting with active disease annually.