SOUTH AFRICA PUBLIC HEALTH May 4 2006 ISSUE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 001821 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S; AF/EPS; AF/EPS/SDRIANO DEPT FOR S/OFFICE OF GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR GLOBAL BUREAU KHILL USAID ALSO FOR GH/OHA/CCARRINO AND RROGERS, AFR/SD/DOTT ALSO FOR AA/EGAT SIMMONS, AA/DCHA WINTER HHS FOR THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY/WSTEIGER, NIH/HFRANCIS CDC FOR SBLOUNT AND DBIRX E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KHIV SOCI TBIO EAID SF SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA PUBLIC HEALTH May 4 2006 ISSUE Summary -------------- ¶1. Summary. Every two weeks, Embassy Pretoria publishes a public health newsletter highlighting South African health issues based on press reports and studies of South African researchers. Comments and analysis do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the U.S. Government. Topics of this week's newsletter cover: Study Points to Benefits of Providing ARV Treatment, Survey Shows HIV/AIDS a Growing Problem for Microfinance, Microbicides 2006 Conference Emphasize Women's Vulnerability to HIV Infection, Research Reports that High Concentration of Lime Juice can kill HIV but too Caustic, Obesity in South Africa Increasing, Chronic Disease Mortality Will Increase by 2010, South Africa Intends to Strengthen Smoking, and National Survey Shows 12% of SA's Adolescents Regularly Gamble Bill. End Summary. Study Points to Benefits of Providing ARV Treatment -------------- -------------- ¶2. A recent study from the Bureau for Economic Research (BER) at the University of Stellenbosch found that the macroeconomic impacts of HIV/AIDS in South Africa would amount to a 0.44% annual loss in GDP between 2005 and 2010. The study entitled, "The Macroeconomic Impact of HIV/AIDS under Alternative Intervention Scenarios (With Specific Reference to Antiretroviral Treatment) on the South African Economy," also found that providing antiretroviral treatment would mitigate the estimated GDP loss of 0.44% to 0.4%. The BER study described three model-based scenarios: no AIDS; AIDS with prevention programs but no antiretroviral treatment program; and AIDS with prevention programs and a large-scale antiretroviral treatment program with a take-up rate of 50%. The results from the different scenarios indicated the epidemic would have a negative impact on overall economic growth and, in the absence of antiretroviral treatment, the rate of GDP growth could fall from a projected average of 4.4% over 2002 to 2015 to 4% a year due to the epidemic. Providing antiretroviral treatment could reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on economic growth by on average 17% between 2000 and 2020. Per capita GDP was projected to be about 8% higher in real terms by 2020 because the reduction in population would be larger than the negative impact on GDP. Certain sectors of the economy would experience higher negative impacts from HIV/AIDS. The general government, water and electricity, mining, metals and machinery, and electrical machinery sectors were more exposed to the supply-side risk and demand-side risks. The supply-side risk was due to high HIV prevalence and relatively high skills intensity, while the demand-side risk stemmed from the impact of HIV/AIDS on intermediate and final demand and exports. Sectors with low overall risk included community, social and personal services, clothing and textiles, agriculture and construction. Source: Business Report, April 24. Survey Shows HIV/AIDS a Growing Problem for Microfinance -------------- -------------- ¶3. According to a study by Africap Micro Ventures, more than 50% of microfinance institutions across Africa viewed HIV/AIDS as a growing problem due to rising default rates. The study focused on 10 types of microfinance institutions including non- governmental organizations, commercial banks, and licensed and unlicensed financial institutions. Results showed that, as a rule, repayment rates were high at 98%, although one bank reported a 50% default rate. Only a third of the companies in the survey had adjusted products to client needs, making changes such as flexibility in loan repayments and adjusting loan amounts. At an Africap conference in Cape Town, an HIV/AIDS Risk Management Task Force Working Group, composed of more than 20 organizations, is trying to finalize an HIV/AIDS code of conduct for microfinance institutions. Source: Business Report, April 25. Microbicides 2006 Conference Emphasize Women's Vulnerability to HIV Infection -------------- -------------- ¶4. The international Microbicides conference in Cape Town focused on the vulnerability to HIV infection of women in Africa and the need to find better ways so that they can PRETORIA 00001821 002 OF 003 protect themselves from infection. Microbicides are products that could reduce the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections when used in the vagina or rectum. Microbicides can be formulated in a variety of ways, such as a gel, foam, cream, sponge, or intravaginal ring. Since they can be applied by women before and, in some cases, even after sex without the man being present, they have more control over this prevention method. In southern Africa over 60% of the infected adults are women. One in four South African women aged 15-24 is infected with HIV, compared to one in fourteen of the young men of that age. Currently, over six products are in advanced clinical studies in Africa involving over 25,000 participants (five are being studied in South Africa in at least 12,000 women). The Microbicides 2006 Conference, attended by over 1300 researchers and public health workers, examined four issues: (1) basic science research looking at issues such as mucosal immunology, transmission models, microbicide discovery and delivery mechanisms; (2) clinical research, including preliminary data from some of the large scale studies, (3) social and bioethical challenges conducting this type of research in vulnerable populations, and (4) a community and advocacy issues. Source: AIDSMAP, April 26. Research Reports that High Concentration of Lime Juice can kill HIV but too Caustic -------------- -------------- ¶5. Using high concentrations of lime juice as a vaginal douche to prevent HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause severe abrasions to the vaginal epithelium, and would probably only increase the risk of HIV transmission, according to a safety study presented at the Microbicides 2006 conference. Although another study suggested that using lower concentrations (up to 20%) may be safer, laboratory studies have found such concentrations are too low to kill HIV. A laboratory study of lime juice presented at the Conference found that it does indeed kill HIV. At a 10% concentration, lime juice can inactivate HIV within five minutes. But in the presence of semen, it takes a 50% concentration at least 30 minutes to kill the virus. But the study also found some suggestions that lime juice might damage mucosal tissues, particularly if the tissue was already irritated. A second preclinical study, which also looked at lemon juice, found that both juices were markedly toxic to a variety of human cells, and concluded that while the juice might kill HIV in the cultures, it killed everything in the culture. Source: AIDSMAP, April 27. Obesity in South Africa Increasing -------------- ¶6. According to a Medical Research Council (MRC) report "Dietary Changes and the Health Transition in South Africa: Implications for Health Policy", South Africans are eating more saturated fats, sugars and refined carbohydrates, resulting in a high prevalence of obesity. The average South African consumed 12% more kilojoules between 1962 and 2001, increasing consumption of fat, proteins and carbohydrates. In the black community there was a movement, particularly in cities, away from traditional high fiber, high carbohydrate diet to a diet richer in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. Findings in the report indicate that men consume alcohol far more frequently than women. In addition, 17% of children between the ages of one and nine were either overweight or obese. Fifty-six percent of South African women and 29% of South African men were considered overweight. Source: Sapa, IOL, May 2. Chronic Disease Mortality Will Increase by 2010 -------------- -- ¶7. Chronic diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes are expected to kill 666 South Africans daily by the year 2010, according to the South Africa Medical Research Council (MRC). A new MRC report titled "Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle in South Africa: 1995-2005" reported that there are about six million South Africans with hypertension, five million with high blood cholesterol, 1.5 million with diabetes and more than seven million smokers. According to the report, chronic diseases killed 565 people daily in 2000. Lifestyle- related cancers had been increasing in the country. The report PRETORIA 00001821 003 OF 003 found that increasing urbanization was a factor behind hypertension and diabetes. The report highlights the need for proper health care in South Africa for people with chronic diseases of lifestyle, particularly at primary care level. Challenges facing developing countries include trying to treat chronic diseases, lasting the patient's lifetime and needing complex health care systems, and acute diseases on limited resources devoted to health care. Very little international research and policy activities have addressed the question of how poorer developing countries, with multiple burdens of disease, can address both acute and chronic conditions. Source: Sapa and IOL, May 2. South Africa Intends to Strengthen Smoking Bill -------------- -- ¶8. A draft of the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill, tabled in Parliament, proposes new fines and tougher enforcement of smoking laws for individuals and businesses who ignore anti-smoking laws. For example, parents who sit with children in the smoking area of a restaurant will, with the business owner, be subject to higher fines. If the Health Department's proposals are accepted, individuals caught breaking the law will have to fork out a minimum of R300 ($50, using 6 rands per dollar) or an amount determined by the courts. The draft proposals also suggest an increase in fines from R200 ($33) to a minimum of R200,000 ($33,333) for restaurant owners who do not enforce the law. There is also a minimum fine of R100,000 ($16,666) for those who sell cigarettes to minors or who fail to comply with vending machine legislation. Those who illegally advertise or give away tobacco products could be fined R1 million ($166,666). The Health Department wants Parliament to approve the new bill in time for implementation by early 2007. According to Zanele Mthembu, the Department's Director of Health Services, 25,000 South Africans died of smoking-related deaths every year. The proposed bill would close loopholes in existing regulations and bring legislation in line with international laws, in particular the World Health Organization's framework convention on tobacco control. Source: The Sunday Independent, April 30. National Survey Shows 12% of SA's Adolescents Regularly Gamble -------------- -------------- ¶9. At the Fourth Biennial Gambling Conference in Cape Town, Philip Frankel, the Head of the Department of Political Studies at Wits University, described results from the first nationally- based survey on risk behaviors of adolescents. The survey found that more than one third of high school students gambled more than R200 per session and that 12% gambled regularly with 3-5% showing signs of serious gambling addiction. In addition, over one third surveyed believed people should enjoy life and stop worrying about condoms, HIV and AIDS. A quarter believed that an understanding of mathematical trends led to a better chance of winning the lottery, while almost 37% believed that staying at the same slot machine improved their chances of winning. According to the report: (1) South Africans spent R11.6 billion ($1.9) on gambling in 2005, (2) the majority of South Africans gambled by buying lottery tickets (45.8%),with 7.8% buying scratch cards and 7.1% gambling at casinos, (3) of those who bought lottery tickets, 72.7% bought Lotto tickets at least once a week while one in every 10 people visited a casino at least once a week, (3) 1.7% of household budgets in South Africa is spent on gambling, and (4) The gaming industry has created almost 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in the past 10 years. The survey is based on a sample of 40 schools, ranging in locations from rural KwaZulu-Natal to Cape Town and Johannesburg. Source: The Mercury, April 21. TEITELBAUM