Johannesburg - Covid-19 has knocked South Africa’s life expectancy down much in the same pattern that HIV/Aids did before it was brought under control through the massive roll-out of antiretroviral therapy.
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) revealed on Monday that life expectancy in the country had dropped to 59.3 years for men and 64.6 years for women, largely due to the coronavirus.
The national statistics body released the mid-year population estimates report.
It estimated that the country now had 60.14 million people, increasing slightly from the 59.62 million estimated in 2020.
While it was growing, the population faced a deadly virus that was to blame for an estimated 85% of about 180 000 excess deaths recorded over the past year.
Ahead of the outbreak of the novel virus, life expectancy in the country was 62.4 years for men and 68.4 years for women.
The country had last seen a decline in its life expectancy before its success to minimise deaths due to HIV/Aids.
Such HIV/Aids-related deaths decreased from 181 497 a year in 2002 to 79 420 in 2020.
“Access to antiretroviral treatment has extended the lifespan of many in South Africa, who would otherwise have died at an earlier age, as evidenced in the decline of Aids deaths post-2006,” said StatsSA.
“However, the presence of the Covid19 pandemic has hampered the ability of the health sector to extend life expectancy in South Africa in the year 2021.”
StatsSA pointed out that life expectancy in South Africa had declined between 2002 and 2006.
Access to antiretroviral treatment partly led to the increase in life expectancy since 2007.
“By 2021 life expectancy at birth is estimated at 59.3 years for males and 64.6 years for females, which is a drop from 2020 where life expectancy at birth was 62.4 years and 68.4 years for males and females respectively, and this is attributable to the increase in deaths from Covid-19,” said StatsSA.
In what could be obvious to many, the country’s mortality rate increased in the past year. Covid-19 alone had claimed nearly 67 000 lives by yesterday.
“The approximately 34% rise in deaths in adults in the year 2021 significantly affected the life expectancy at birth in South Africa,” said StatsSA.
“In South Africa, female mortality was already disproportionately higher than male mortality due to the impact of HIV/Aids.”
Life expectancy could again improve if the country manages to turn the tide against Covid-19, said the StatsSA report.
“Assuming greater vaccination coverage, continued prevention practices – mask wearing, social distancing and sanitising of hands and surfaces, further innovation in drug and treatment protocols and the avoidance of a more severe or infectious strain of the virus – we would likely see life expectancy in South Africa revert to previous levels.”
The Star