Mashatile calls for increased HIV screening as government seeks to link 1.1-million people to treatment

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called for increased HIV screening, diagnosis and treatment initiation while maintaining treatment adherence to keep viral suppression rates high.

Mashatile delivered a keynote address during the official commemoration of World Aids Day on Sunday at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. 

“The fight against HIV and Aids requires all of us to act together. We have made satisfactory progress, but like in any long march to the golden goal, the last miles become tougher,” he said. 

Mashatile said the Department of Health, working with the South African National Aids Council (Sanac) and development partners, agreed to “the big, fast and quick results” of tracing 1.1 million people living with HIV and linking them to treatment between Sunday and December 2025.

He said linking the 1.1 million people to treatment will enable the government to reach the UNAids targets of 95-95-95.

Mashatile said while significant strides had been made in ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV knew their status, the same could not be said for ensuring that 95% of people who knew their status were on treatment and that 95% of people on treatment were virally suppressed.

“As of June, only 79% of people who knew their status were on treatment, and only 93% of people on treatment were virally suppressed. Improvement across the 95-95-95 indicators was more pronounced in males compared to females.

“As a country, we need to further increase HIV screening, diagnosis, and treatment initiation while maintaining treatment adherence to keep viral suppression rates high,” he said.

He urged all government departments to incorporate HIV/Aids and TB in their workplace health and wellness programmes.

He called on political parties, trade unions, student organisations and other formations to encourage members and supporters to know their HIV status and those who know their status to seek treatment and to remain on treatment. 

The transport industry has a role to play in conveying the message of the importance of health screening to people who use public transport daily, he said.

Traditional leaders should continue to use platforms such as community meetings, izimbizo, traditional initiation schools, funerals, and such events, to encourage their people to test for HIV and TB.

Mashatile said they would continue to rely on religious leaders to send the message to worshippers, especially those who were HIV positive but had stopped treatment to return to care.

He encouraged sporting bodies, their affiliates, clubs and individual players to contribute in this way and premiers to use provincial councils to mobilise these and other sectors to help the government trace the 1.1 million people. 

“All employers and employment organisations must come to the party. This is a genuine battle, and if we fail to combat HIV and Aids, it will ultimately lead to our downfall,” he said.

The theme of this year's commemoration is “Equal Rights, Equal Care,” which calls for equitable, dignified, and equal access to health care for all South Africans, irrespective of their economic status, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. 

He added that scientists are optimistic that improved treatment options can enhance prevention and are actively working on a cure and vaccine. 

“However, our country remains the epicentre of HIV and is among those with the highest TB burden. There are nearly eight million people living with HIV, and TB remains the leading cause of death, claiming about 56,000 lives a year.”

Mashatile said they should always be cognisant of the fact that HIV is not only a public health crisis but also a developmental challenge and a human rights matter and the approach should be comprehensive, targeted, inclusive and geo-specific.

“We are aware of the challenges in our health system and are actively working as a government to address them. The National Health Insurance (NHI) is a step towards achieving universal health coverage and alleviating the uneven distribution of resources and congestion in public health facilities,” he said.

He added that HIV is prevalent among young people, especially adolescent girls and young women between the ages of 15 and 24, with 1,300 new cases a week. The infection rate among boys of the same age, however, is almost three times less, meaning girls are more vulnerable to HIV infection. 

“A variety of factors, including the biological makeup of their bodies and their involvement in age-disparate relationships, contribute to this phenomenon. Nevertheless, we need more interventions designed for adolescent girls and young women.

“We need messages that resonate with young people. We can’t use the one-size-fits-all approach because young people need to be understood, listened to, have their space and have their own lingo,” he added. 

TimesLIVE