Government entity, Stats SA, has released details on the biggest killers in South Africa. The data is from 2022 and is less skewed by COVID-19 than the previous two years. Nevertheless, there is cause for concern with the biggest killers in South Africa being entirely preventable diseases.
BIGGEST KILLERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
In 2020 – 2021, 15% of recorded deaths in South Africa were COVID-19 related. As such, the data for 2022 represents something of a ‘normalisation’ of deaths in the country. 486 041 deaths in 2022 is significantly down on the 620 394 recorded in 2021 and 515 891 of 2020, the majority of which were tuberculosis, influenza and pneumonia.
Interestingly, for a country noted for its crime, ‘natural’ deaths far outweigh ‘unnatural’ ones by nearly 10 to 1. 421 466 natural versus 64 575 unnatural deaths. Of course, Stats SA can only count reported crimes to the SAPS. And there are several ‘unspecified’ causes of death which do bring into question the validity of the second list. Nevertheless, diabetes is number one on the list of biggest killers in South Africa, with 32 863 deaths (6.8%). Next is hypertension close behind with 31 230 deaths.
TOP 10 CAUSES OF DEATH
The list below outlines the ten biggest natural killers in South Africa:
- Diabetes mellitus – 32 863
- Hypertensive diseases – 31 230
- Cerebrovascular diseases – 28 819
- HIV – 20 784
- Other heart diseases – 20 375
- Tuberculosis -20 372
- Influenza and pneumonia – 19 705
- Other viral diseases – 13 139
- Ischaemic heart diseases – 13 137
- Chronic respiratory diseases – 11 838
- Other natural causes – 209 204
- Total: 421 466
UNNATURAL KILLERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
- Accidental injury (unspecified) – 23 568
- Accidental injury (mechanical forces) – 12 018
- Assault – 5 816
- Threat to breathing – 5 769
- Transport accidents – 4 590
- Smoke, fire and flames – 2 786
- Poisoning – 2 547
- Undetermined intent – 1 986
- Drowning – 1 971
- Complications of surgery/medical care – 1 886
- Other unnatural causes – 1 638
- Total: 64 575
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT DIABETES IS ONE OF THE WORST KILLERS IN SOUTH AFRICA?
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