The latest UNAids report indicates that South Africa has the highest number of people accessing antiretroviral treatment, the Department of Health said on Tuesday.

Spokesperson Sibani Mngadi said in a statement that the global report which was released on Tuesday "confirmed that the country has the highest number of people on treatment globally".

He said the report indicated that out of the 3 million people on antiretroviral treatment worldwide in 2007, South Africa accounted for 429 000.

Mngadi added that the report showed that the percentage of women accessing treatment to prevent passing it on to their babies had increased from 15 percent in 2004 to 60 percent in 2007.

He said the report also indicated that South Africa still had the highest number of people living with HIV.

Mngadi said the report showed that the prevalence of HIV in Southern Africa was falling.

"It states that the prevalence of HIV in the Southern African region is falling and South Africa is one of the three countries in the region where the epidemic has stabilised," Mngadi said.

Zambia and Malawi were named as the other two countries in which the prevalence rate had dropped.

Sapa

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