The fight against HIV and Aids requires all South Africans to act together, says Deputy President Paul Mashatile.
Addressing the World Aids Day commemoration at the Sisa Dukashe stadium in Mdantsane, in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, the Deputy President said while significant strides have been made in ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, the same cannot be said with respect to ensuring that 95% of people who know their status are on treatment and that 95% of people on treatment are virally suppressed.
“As of June 2024, only 79% of people who knew their status were on treatment, and only 93% of people on treatment were virally suppressed.
“As a country, we need to further increase HIV screening, diagnosis, and treatment initiation while maintaining treatment adherence to keep viral suppression rates high. We urge all government departments to incorporate HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis [TB] in their workplace health and wellness programs.
“In the same breath, we call upon political parties, trade unions, student organisations, and other formations to encourage their members and supporters to know their HIV status and those who know their status to seek treatment and to remain on treatment.
“Our traditional leaders need to continue to use platforms at their disposal, such as community meetings, izimbizo, traditional initiation schools, funerals and such events, to encourage their subjects to test for HIV and TB,” the Deputy President said.
He said government would continuously rely on various stakeholders, such as religious leaders to mobilise all men and women who worship, especially those who are HIV-positive and have stopped treatment, to return to care.
Addressing the World Aids Day commemoration at the Sisa Dukashe stadium in Mdantsane, in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, the Deputy President said while significant strides have been made in ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, the same cannot be said with respect to ensuring that 95% of people who know their status are on treatment and that 95% of people on treatment are virally suppressed.
“As of June 2024, only 79% of people who knew their status were on treatment, and only 93% of people on treatment were virally suppressed.
“As a country, we need to further increase HIV screening, diagnosis, and treatment initiation while maintaining treatment adherence to keep viral suppression rates high. We urge all government departments to incorporate HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis [TB] in their workplace health and wellness programs.
“In the same breath, we call upon political parties, trade unions, student organisations, and other formations to encourage their members and supporters to know their HIV status and those who know their status to seek treatment and to remain on treatment.
“Our traditional leaders need to continue to use platforms at their disposal, such as community meetings, izimbizo, traditional initiation schools, funerals and such events, to encourage their subjects to test for HIV and TB,” the Deputy President said.
He said government would continuously rely on various stakeholders, such as religious leaders to mobilise all men and women who worship, especially those who are HIV-positive and have stopped treatment, to return to care.
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