KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health calls for zero stigma, zero discrimination on HIV
On the eve of World AIDS Day, KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo and KwaZulu-Natal Health Head of Department Dr Sibongile Zungu have called on the people of the province to support those living with HIV and help end discrimination and stigmatisation against them.
World AIDS Day is being commemorated tomorrow, on December 2014, under the theme: “I can't change my HIV status, but you can change your attitude. Zero Stigma, Zero Discrimination.” This commemorative day creates an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died.
The spread of the HIV epidemic is largely caused by sexual transmission, multiple concurrent sexual partners, gender based violence, sexual assault, harmful myths and social norms, low MMC uptake, economical inequalities which lead to intergenerational sex (sugar daddy syndrome), among others.
However, despite the mammoth challenge posed by HIV and AIDS, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has made significant strides in fighting the spread of the epidemic.
Notwithstanding the province’s high HIV prevalence, which is at 37,4%; the department has managed to reduce mother to child HIV transmission from 19% in 2007 to 1,6% currently, as stated by the Department of Health Information Survey. An AIDS free generation is indeed possible in KZN.
The department has also accelerated its programmes in HIV Testing and Counselling; Medical Male Circumcision and has a comprehensive Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) roll-out programme.
In addition to the Nurse-Initiated Management of ARVs, the provision of Post Exposure Prophylaxis to rape victims even before cases are reported to the police, the department has also established HIV and TB testing programmes in non-medical sites such as taxi ranks and commercial firms.
The province has also switched all stable Regiment 1 patients to a Fixed Dose Combination and continues to target youth in institutions of higher learning through initiatives, such as “First Things First” and “Graduate Alive”.
With World AIDS Day just a few hours away, the provincial Health Department’s political and administrative leadership has expressed a view that if a more welcoming environment were to be created for those afflicted by the pandemic, it would accelerate the already significant gains made in managing HIV and curbing its spread.
“Having emerged from decades of race-based discrimination and the immeasurable harm that it caused, the worst we can do as South Africans is to allow for the perpetuation of another form of discrimination based on people’s health status. It is always disturbing to hear of cases whereby people still make life difficult for others because of something like HIV, which is manageable and treatable. We always urge people to get tested so they will know their status. HIV, like any disease, can be managed effectively when detected early. But because people are afraid of getting tested because they know they will be discriminated against. These kinds of attitudes have no place in the progressive society that we are creating,” said Dr Dhlomo.
Dr Zungu added: “We appeal to those who subject others to discrimination, which keeps the stigma alive, to change their attitudes. Their actions take the country back by making it harder for others to get tested and seek counselling and treatment. As a nation, we can’t afford that. We are saying HIV positive people should be treated no different from others. If anything, they need more love and support. If those living with HIV didn’t have to worry about how others would relate to them if their HIV status was known, can you imagine how many people would be tested? Can you imagine how many people would know their status, get on treatment programmes and live longer? Therefore, we wish to join the rest of the world in calling for an end to the stigma and an end to the discrimination.”
Dr Dhlomo has called on people to enjoy the festive season responsibly by not abusing alcohol and drugs or indulging in unprotected sex.
With the dawn of the December school holidays, the department is gearing up to once again resume its Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) camps throughout the province’s 11 health districts – and men and boys are urged to use this period to undergo the MMC procedure.
Since 2010, when the department established the KwaZulu-Natal Medical Male Circumcision Centre of Excellence, it has circumcised more than 446 552 males. The department’s target now is to circumcise 2,5 million males by 2016.
Medical Male Circumcision is free and is performed discreetly and by medically-trained experts. This means minimum pain or discomfort for those who are being circumcised.
Men and boys are urged to get circumcised by going to their nearest clinic where they will get advice and support, be tested for non-communicable disease such as diabetes, High Blood Pressure, TB and HIV.
When people have been circumcised they must continue using condoms.
Enquiries:
Sam Mkhwanazi
Cell: 081 038 2193
