The National Health Department says its campaign to trace people who have tested positive for HIV including those who have stopped taking their treatment is beginning to yield encouraging results. The update comes as South Africa joins the global community in observing World Aids Day on Sunday.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile is leading the national commemoration at Masemola Stadium in Limpopo’s Sekhukhune district.
Gugu Shabangu, the department’s Chief Director for HIV/AIDS, says the campaign has made significant strides in bringing people back into care.
“Our target was 1.1 million, and to date we have managed to bring back 949,023 people. We are sitting at 62% in this campaign,” she said. “However, I must indicate that although we are recovering many clients, we are also losing some not from the same cohort, but because people return to our facilities while others fall out.”
Shabangu said retaining patients on treatment remains one of the department’s biggest challenges.
“Our main priority now is ensuring that once we get people back, they stay on treatment so that we can reach our 95% target,” she added.