5 Countries With Highest Rates of AIDS

3. South Africa 

AIDS Rate: 18.6% 

Around 7.5 million people in South Africa are living with HIV/AIDS, making it one of the highest prevalence countries globally. The disease significantly impacts daily life, affecting physical, emotional, and social well-being, often leading to stigmatization and discrimination. Economically, treating AIDS strains the healthcare system, and individuals living with the disease may be unable to work, impacting the country’s GDP and increasing poverty and inequality. Providing antiretroviral therapy, the primary treatment for AIDS, is costly, estimated at around $1,700 per patient annually, posing a challenge for the government to ensure adequate healthcare for all in need.