I've got a serious question and need really serious answers?

It's about HIV and AIDS in South Africa. As you know, the statistics by World Health Organisation show that South Africa has got the highest HIV-related death rate in the world. Some of the factors that influence death rate from HIV infection is life style, public access to medical resources, leteracy, and commitment of government in combating the disease based on state economy. There are about 53 countries in Africa. Having the factors I've mentioned above in mind, what is it exactly that makes South Africans die so much of AIDS-related deseases? What is it that makes the death toll in South Africa much higher than in any other African country? Is it because other African countries afford medical accessibility more than we do in South Africa? Is it because their lifestyle is much more health-friendly than ours in South Africa? I'm confused, please help.

If I may add another question just here, based on the answers I see below so far. If you strongly feel our government is primarily responsible for this pandemic, is there any solution that we as South Africans can use, with or without the help of government, to save our own lives from this killer disease? Remember, we are a group of about 44 million nationals. Do we really have to allow a group of a lousy 30 people to lead all of us to a death row?

We have the world's most incompetent Health Minister.
We have a President who denies that there is a problem and a distressingly popular wannabe president who states in court that a shower will prevent infection.
They all usually pretend to make the "correct" noises in public but when it comes to actually doing something about the issue they simply don't. The criminal delay in the ARV "rollout" is an example of that.
The health minister says eating beetroot and garlic is the cure.

The other part of the problem is largely due to the very high mobility of our population compared to the rest of the continent.
We are wealthy enough to travel and the relatively good transport infrastructure makes it easy.
This high mobility also means that people tend to have more sex partners and shorter, unstable relationships compared to people elswhere in Africa who spend their entire lives living in one village or town.

I think Roger C has given a good answer but with regards to the mobility issue ,the same is true for the government ! If the infrastructure make it possible for South Africans to be more ''movable'' then the same must be true for medical services ! There is no excuse for the lame way government has handled the Aids epedemic thus far ,to the cost of their loyal citizens who are paying for it with their lifes !
We also have a cultural problem with African males who still prever NOT to wear condoms for their own reasons ! Availabillity of condoms is very good ,even in rural areas ! One just have to wonder if the available ones are safe since inferior condoms was also part of the latest scandals government was involved in !

South Africa has a very high death rate because it actually have the systems to keep track of AIDS related deaths. Lots of other countries in Africa don't have these systems in place or deaths are just recorded as death from other diseases (like lung infection, a common cause of death when your immune count is almost 0)

Big countries in Africa also don't record a lot of deaths that are happening in very rural areas, where families bury dead relatives without any paperwork or recording...

Beside all the above mentioned facts, there is also the high percentage of rape crimes in SA. This is partly due to the fact that many aids sufferers believe the myth that intercourse with a virgin will cure them, and partly due to the mentality of the African male who thinks that it is his right to demand intercourse from any woman. Both these reasons are plain RAPE.

Also some African countries are taking this aids epidemic seriously and have taken the correct necessary steps in educating their people and distributing the needed medications to ALL of the population who need it. No wonder you are confused, the SA government is also very confused.

I don麓t blame the health minister or anyone else for people having HIV I blame the people who are stupid enough not to use condoms and the people who has sex with multiple partners and not knowing their sexual history....
IF I one day get HIV by sleeping around, who is to blame? The goverment? The Health minister? NO it麓s my own fault for being stupid and careless !!!

Roger C. I have been away for too long. I know the President denies it exists. But eating garlic is a cure and this is the Health Minister. They must be smoking some bad weed these people.