Releasing a new government study into HIV and Aids, Motsoaledi revealed that HIV-positive babies were 1500percent more likely to die within the first six months of their lives than uninfected babies.

Motsoaledi also told Parliament that South Africa only had 0,7percent of the world’s population but was carrying 17percent of its HIV-Aids burden.

The study also revealed that in Mpumalanga, where former health MEC Sibongile Manana had fired Greater Nelspruit hospital superintendent Thys von Mollendorff after he had allowed a nongovernmental organisation to distribute antiretrovirals (ARVs) to rape victims, there had been a steady increase in the number of HIV- positive babies dying.

“That is self-explanatory. It is shocking. It is obvious. I don’t think we would have been here if we had approached the problem in a different way. Our attitude to HIV- Aids has put us where we are,” he said.

Motsoaledi said it was possible to reverse the situation created by the previous government. He cited the example of Western Cape, which had began administering ARVs to pregnant women in 2001. This had resulted in a drastic decrease in the number of three- month-old babies dying.

“We know what was happening in Mpumalanga. That’s part of our ugly history. We know it has happened and I have got no intention of running away or hiding from it,” Motsoaledi said.

Almost 40percent of all women in the 25 to 34 years age group are HIV-positive, and last year 29,3percent of pregnant women were found to be HIV-positive, the study also showed.

While most of the people who died in 1997 were 75 to 89 years old, by 2005 people aged 30 to 35 years were dying at a much higher rate.

HIV and Aids increase the risk of a woman dying during or just after pregnancy tenfold, he said.

Motsoaledi is set to announce a major overhaul of the government’s approach to HIV and Aids on World Aids Day, December 1.