The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has made significant strides in its HIV management efforts, surpassing its target for HIV testing and treatment in the 2023/24 financial year.
According to the GDoH, it achieved over 5.4 million HIV tests in the 2023/24 financial year, surpassing the original target of 4.9 million.
This progress has been mainly due to increased HIV self-screening, index contact testing, and community testing services, supported by non-profit organisations. In addition, several HIV testing campaigns were held across all five health districts in the province.
Speaking on these developments, Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, highlighted the province’s commitment to combatting HIV.
“The low mother-to-child transmission rate is attributed to the effective implementation of the Vertical Transmission Prevention programme for antenatal clients who test positive, as well as the provision of pre-exposure (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis for antenatal and postnatal clients who test negative.
“Our commitment to combating HIV/AIDS has been unwavering. We will continue to maintain our focus on improving prevention, testing, and treatment services to ensure that no one is left behind,”
said Nkomo-Ralehoko.
The GDoH also focused on preventive care for pregnant women as part of antenatal services. As a result, the province has seen a low HIV positivity rate of 0.2% among infants born to mothers who tested positive for HIV.
The report indicated a significant decrease in HIV positivity rates among those aged 15 to 24. In the 2023/24 financial year, the positivity rate for this group dropped from 1.3% to 1.1%.
Head of Communication for the GDoH, Motalatale Modiba, emphasised the importance of ensuring that adults who test positive for HIV adhere to treatment protocols.
“We are continuing to strengthen measures to ensure that adults who test positive for HIV adhere to antiretroviral treatment. This includes the booking system and pre-retrieval of files prior to patients’ appointments, as well as tracing missed appointments on the same day and referring patients with late missed appointments to ward-based outreach teams,” Modiba said.
To enhance HIV treatment services, the GDoH has provided training to 5,845 healthcare workers on the new ART guidelines. Compliance with these guidelines will be closely monitored to maintain the highest standards of care.
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