Swaziland now tops the world in HIV/AIDS infection rates: UN official

LOZITHA, Swaziland (AFP) Mar 19, 2004
Swaziland now has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate affecting about 40 percent of its people, an envoy of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan was quoted as saying by the state-run Radio Swaziland on Friday.

Stephen Lewis, Annan's special envoy for HIV and Aids in Africa, told Swazi King Mswati III late Thursday that "in recent months ... the kingdom of Swaziland has recorded the highest HIV infection in the whole world with almost 40 percent (of the total population of 1.1 million) testing positive."

According to the last official figures in Swaziland, HIV/AIDS affects about 38.6 percent of the adult population.

Lewis said the prevalence rate in countries like Botswana -- which at one time had the biggest rate of infection -- had declined from 38.8 percent to 37.5 percent.

TERRA.WIRE