Objective: South Africa is a transitional country where action to combat one of the most significant priority risk factors, HIV/AIDS, is required. The South African Government has launched a comprehensive operational plan to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic, aimed at providing all South Africans with AIDS antiretroviral treatment by 2009. This paper reviews current strategies on HIV/AIDS in South Africa and makes recommendations to speed up the treatment for HIV/AIDS-infected people. Other recommendations include the support and enhancement of the government's HIV/AIDS operational plan by addressing risk factors at the community level, incorporating complex interactions between the individual, family, community and society to overcome the epidemic. Background: South Africa is facing significant challenges in addressing the severe impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. An estimated 5.5 million people are HIV-positive and 1000 new infections take place every day. Young women have been particularly affected by HIV/AIDS. During the 1997-2004 period, the death rate for women aged 20-39 more than tripled and for men 3044, it more than doubled. The major risk factors for HIV/AIDS in South Africa include wide income disparities, a history of colonialism, political and economic disenfranchisement and gender inequality. The stigma around HIV/AIDS populations remains strong in South Africa and is a factor likely to influence personal decision-making with regard to HIV testing and disclosure. Funding Implications: The funding implications of implementing a comprehensive HIV/AIDS program and enhancing the 2005 HIV/AIDS operational plan are significant. The total cost of providing antiretroviral to everyone who needs it would be between United States (US) $ 1 billion and US $ 1.09 billion. It is estimated that 1.7 million lives could be saved by 2010 if antiretroviral were provided to all of those who need it. Conclusion: A comprehensive HIV/AIDS program to address the needs of the wider population and enhance the South African HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan (2000-2005) requires an effective response based on four balanced foci ( learning, preventing, understanding and responding to the pandemic) by educators, education policy-makers and planners, and their partners in other sectors.
