Life Expectancy in Zambia Falls to 33 Years Due to AIDS
Zambians' life expectancy at birth has fallen from 44 years to 33 years over the last 10 years due to AIDS, according to the country's Central Statistical Office, Reuters reports. "The adult mortality rate has increased in the last decade," CSO Director Buleti Nsemukila said on Monday, adding that "an adult has lost about 11 years of survival due to the AIDS problem." The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a "huge" development problem in Zambia, which has a population of 9.8 million, Reuters reports. According to the government, 20% of Zambian adults are HIV-positive, 200 Zambians die each day due to AIDS-related illnesses and 500 people are infected with the virus daily (Reuters, 5/5).
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