Report - Millions will die of AIDS in South Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- Researchers unveiled a report Tuesday estimating AIDS could kill as many as 7 million South Africans by 2010, and said government officials disputing the findings simply did not understand them.

The report, commissioned by the Medical Research Council, said AIDS would account for one-third of all deaths in South Africa this year -- and nearly two-thirds by 2010 without radical changes in personal behavior and more government action to fight the disease.

It predicted average life expectancy would drop from 54 to 41 years in the country.

"South Africa is experiencing an HIV/AIDS epidemic of shattering dimensions," the report said. "These shocking results need to galvanize efforts to minimize the devastation of the epidemic."

The government, which has drawn widespread criticism for its handling of the AIDS crisis, wanted to delay the report's release until December to coincide with publication of another set of AIDS statistics compiled by Statistics South Africa, a government agency. AIDS activists accused the government of suppressing the report to hide the extent of the crisis.