By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa has the world’s biggest HIV/Aids burden with 7.8-million people living with the disease. While it is on track to meet the UN target of ensuring 95% of people living with HIV know their HIV status by 2025, it is lagging behind on efforts to ensure 95% of people diagnosed with HIV are on sustained treatment, and that 95% of those on treatment are virally suppressed.
Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, says he remains concerned by those who are not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) despite knowing their HIV status.
“We are doing extremely well on the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) who know their status. However, we have been struggling to reach a great milestone on the number of people that are on ARTs,” he said.
Speaking at the high-level meeting convened in Cape Town by the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), Phaahla said a majority of these patients do come for treatment, but they disengage from care due to various factors.
However, he assured delegates that his department is currently addressing the matter, working together with all key role players, notably the PLHIV sector.
Phaahla reported that their interventions have resulted in tracing and linking treatment for just over 1.1 million patients in December 2023, down from 1.4 million in March 2023.
Meanwhile, he said the number of PLHIV virally suppressed has increased by 510 469.
“Through this stakeholder collaboration and backed by the deployment of the community health workers, we hope to bring the many patients back to care.”
He mentioned that the State is making progress towards achieving a new set of ambitious targets.
These targets include ensuring that 95% of all individuals living with HIV are aware of their HIV status, 95% of all individuals diagnosed with HIV infection receive continuous treatment, and 95% of all those on treatment achieve viral suppression by 2025.
The number of estimated new HIV infections in the country has decreased from 164 000 in 2022 to 146 784 in 2023, indicating the effectiveness of interventions in reducing new infections.
According to the latest data, deaths due to HIV are also declining, with an estimation of approximately 44 534 HIV-related deaths in South Africa in 2023.
This marks a reduction of over 50% compared to the last decade’s 92 129 AIDS-related deaths, said Phaahla.
The Minister also touched on the men and children who are living with HIV who are not on treatment.
“While we have seen this steady, though still low progress, we continue to worry because we see fewer men and children being linked to care.
“We need to find 586 192 men and 71 763 children living with HIV and put them on treatment. Whilst for adult women we need to find and treat 530 737.”
He expressed gratitude to the United States government for playing a pivotal role since 1994 and being South Africa’s strategic partner.
To end the global HIV/AIDS public health threat by 2030, the United States has made significant progress towards HIV epidemic control with Pepfar support.