UK Report Paints Grim Picture of SA Health Situation

August 28 - The Lancet, one of the most respected medical journals in the world, has issued a special edition with a focus on the health situation in South Africa - and the picture painted is more than grim.

According to the report, epidemics, mortality, violence, rapes and murder are all way above average global statistics in South Africa.

The authors of the report, all made up of South African health experts, found that one of the main causes of the problems stemmed to the lack of political leadership.

South Africa has one of the highest epidemics of TB in the world, more HIV positive citizens than any other country and double the global average of violent deaths - to name just a few.

The mortality rate for children has only got worse since 1990, while practically no efforts have been made to combat Aids.

The authors slammed former president Thabo Mbeki for his "bizarre and seemingly unshakeable belief that HIV did not cause AIDS", resulting in the loss of thousands of lives unnecessarily, as well as a staggering burden on the already crippled health system.

In addition, nothing has been done to combat the rising statistics of maternal mortality in South Africa, with HIV positive woman being 10 times more likely to die around childbirth.

After outlining the problems, the authors call for support of a National Health Insurance scheme, and for the country to address "social determinants of health" such as the decrease of violence, and "changing the existing culture of men's behaviour towards women and children."