Number of deaths cut due to good work

Educating people about epidemic seen as key to reducing fatalities

ALTHOUGH there is more that still needs to be done, the number of people who have been killed by HIV-Aids has drastically been reduced.

This has in part been due to the good work being done by non-governmental organisations like the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) in educating people about the epidemic.

Through its work in 55 clinics in the Eastern Cape, AHF has provided services to thousands of patients.

AHF regional policy and advocacy manager Larissa Klazinga said the government’s plan of providing immediate anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment to all HIV-positive people regardless of their CD4 count has also “contributed tremendously to treating HIV-positive patients and will result in better health outcomes and longer life expectancy for HIV-positive people”.

“It is vitally important that ARV treatment starts as early as possible for greater quality of life and longer life expectancy.

“We are sure to see a decrease in the country’s infection and mortality rate in the future because of this move by government,” Klazinga said.

South Africa has come a long way in its fight against the disease with former president Thabo Mbeki denying that HIV led to Aids in what became known as the Mbeki denialism where thousands of people died.

Then there was former health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who said eating beetroot, garlic and lemon delayed the development of HIV into “Aids-defining conditions”.

Throughout the “Aids denialism and desperation” period, the government was already providing free condoms and free testing at its facilities.

But from September last year, the government started availing ARVs to every HIV-positive person – regardless of their CD4 count.

For years the virus had a stigma attached to it – that being diagnosed with the disease was a death penalty.

Not anymore, because of the educational work done by the government and non-governmental organisations like AHF.

But Klazinga is under no illusion that the fight against HIV-Aids has been won.

She said more still needed to be done to further decrease the number of people living with the virus.

“Young people between 15 and 24 are the most at-risk age group for contracting HIV in the country.

“Youth programmes and ongoing education are vitally important to raise awareness.

“The challenge is to encourage sexual behaviour change among young men and women,” Klazinga said.