Mental health care in South Africa. Mental illness is very prevalent in South Africa, yet the country lacks many of the necessary resources and policies needed to execute an effective mental health strategy. Many factors including violence, communicable disease, and urbanisation have increased the prevalence of mental disorders in the country. In 1913, a similar organisation was formed in South Africa, which is now known as the South African Federation for Mental Health.
Estimated HIV infection in Africa in 2007 shows high rates of infection in Southern Africa. Are major health concerns, and around 5.3 million people are thought to be living with the virus in South Africa. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the that causes the disease known as AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). South Africa has more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country.
The South African National HIV Survey estimated that 10.8% of all South Africans over 2 years old were living with HIV in 2005. There is an average of almost 1,000 deaths of AIDS a day in South Africa.
Other infectious diseases [ ] Other infectious diseases prevalent in South Africa include,, and. These infectious diseases are generally caused when the food or water consumed by an individual has been exposed to fecal material. South Africa is an under developed nation and because of this the sanitation facility access in urban areas is 16% unimproved while in rural areas the sanitation facility access is 35% unimproved. Malnutrition [ ].
Further information: 15% of South African infants are born with a low birth weight. Rice Of The Guardians there. 5% of South African children are so underweight they are considered to be wasted. Since the 1990s South Africa's malnutrition problem has remained fairly stable. But as malnutrition in terms of hunger is getting better, the number of obesity is rising and this is becoming a problem. The prevalence of malnutrition in South Africa varies across different geographical areas and socio-economic groups. Many infants in Africa suffer from malnutrition because their mothers do not breastfeed them. The reason mothers in South Africa avoid breastfeeding is to prevent passing on to their children.