Lerato Mutlanyane
The Xhariep district in the Free State province is currently struggling to keep HIV-positive patients in treatment. This information was shared by district director Dr. Ntshieleng Caka of Xhariep during the celebration of World AIDS Day at Lepetla Secondary School in Petrusburg, under the theme “Renewed efforts and sustained commitment to end HIV.”
Caka said that while the
She said the current rates in the county are 94-86-94, indicating that only 86% of HIV-positive individuals in the county remain on treatment.
Despite this, Xhariep is ranked second in the country for his performance against the 95-95-95 targets.
To tackle the retention problem, the Ministry of Health has launched the ‘Close the Gap’ campaign, aimed at identifying 1.1 million people who are HIV positive but are not receiving treatment. This figure is broken down by province, district and even facility, with everyone working hard to close their own part of the gap.
According to the Human Sciences Research Council, the Free State had the highest HIV rate in the country at 15.6% in 2022, up from 17% in 2017, which translates to about 450,000 people living with HIV in the province.
Professor Khangela Zuma, the study’s principal investigator, highlighted that HIV prevalence in the province was consistently higher among women than men in all age categories above 15 years. He expressed concern about the stable prevalence of 3.9% among children aged 0 to 14 years, and about an increase in the figures among young people aged 15 to 20 years in 2022 compared to 2017. The prevalence has more than doubled among young people aged 15 to 19 years during this period.
In an interview with Journal News, Civil Society President Simphiwe Moloena emphasized that the day was an opportunity to commemorate achievements in the HIV response and encourage those affected by the virus. “Many have lost their lives due to AIDS and tuberculosis, and the government has provided free antiretrovirals to save countless lives. However, unfunded programs aimed at ending HIV need urgent attention,” Moloena said.
He noted that civil society interventions, including social mobilization and community outreach, have contributed significantly to behavioral change, especially in combating stigma against those who test positive. “Despite this progress, stigma and discrimination persist within communities, especially among those who are unaware of their status,” Moloena added.
He emphasized that the stigma surrounding HIV hinders community health as men are often reluctant to access health services and get tested. Unemployment and food insecurity are also key challenges that further complicate the response to HIV.
“I therefore call on the government to invest more domestic resources in HIV programs and create employment without prioritizing specific age groups,” Mokoena added.
Refilwe Mochoari Refilwe Mochoari
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