Garth JAPHET

Issue / Public Health in South Africa

Public health has improved greatly around the world over the last century. Unfortunately, there are still many countries where the healthcare and sanitation systems have major deficiencies. In South Africa, far too many people still die from health problems such as diarrhea or infectious diseases which could be easily prevented with a minimum of care.

The most prevalent health issue is the AIDS epidemic that is has plagued the African continent for many decades. South Africa has the largest number of infected people, including many children infected at birth. It is estimated that in this country alone, 5.5 million people — one third of the active population — carry the virus.