Test for HIV to stand up for equal rights, equal care this World AIDS Day

Johannesburg - On Sunday, 1 December 2024, South Africa will join the global community in marking the 37th annual World AIDS Day. The global awareness day is an opportunity to challenge outdated ideas about HIV that may prevent some people from testing and accessing the treatment they need.

This year’s national World AIDS Day event, led by South African National AIDS Council Chairperson Deputy President Paul Mashatile will be held at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium, Mdantsane in Buffalo City Municipality, Eastern Cape on Sunday under the theme ‘equal rights, equal care’.

“We should not be afraid to know our HIV status. If you self-test and find you are HIV positive, this is the first step to registering at your health facility for the treatment that will save your life,” says Ms Maggie Munsamy National Health Insurance: Technical Specialist: Contracting and Head for dablapmeds.

The dablapmeds programme is part of the National Department of Health’s (NDoH) objective to create alternate access to chronic medication for stable patients. The programme is seeing an increased number of HIV patients who also present with diabetes, asthma, or heart disease. “The dablapmeds programme makes collecting your medication convenient, safe, quick and easy, promoting treatment adherence for better health outcomes. Making use of dablapmeds also does not leave you out of pocket, as it is part of the public health service while providing a high-quality service,” explains Ms Munsamy.

In the Eastern Cape, there is a growing number of dablapmeds pick-up points providing the community with more choices to collect medication closer to home or their place of work. “While dablapmeds helps remove many barriers to treatment, we call on every person to test for HIV and encourage their family and friends to do the same. At no cost, stable Eastern Cape Health patients have access to care of a high standard when they are stable enough to be on the dablapmeds programme, giving effect to this year’s World AIDS Day theme of equal rights and equal care,” says Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane. 

Dr Victor Ramathesele, who practised as a physician before transitioning to the corporate sector, is now serving as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Medipost Pharmacy. He highlights the company’s support for the NDoH’s dablapmeds programme in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and the Free State.

“When you know your status and start treatment, you can live healthily for decades and better protect your partners. If you test and are diagnosed as HIV positive today, it can be managed like any other chronic condition,” Dr Ramathesele says.

“There are so many people who are fit and well into their 60s and beyond, many years after diagnosis because they have stuck to their treatment plan, and we are proud to be part of the dablapmeds programme that makes this possible.”

Pharmacist Bradley Mphaho, Medipost’s CCMDD procurement and stock manager for the dablapmeds programme, says testing is the first step towards achieving the country’s commitment to the United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 strategy.

“Preventing HIV infection starts with self-testing, practising safe sex and avoiding contact with other people’s blood and bodily fluids. Condoms are available for free at public health clinics to keep you and your partners safe, and you can also ask your local clinic about PrEP if you are at higher risk of HIV infection.

“The aim is for at least 95% of people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of HIV positive individuals to be on ARV treatment and 95% of those on treatment to have suppressed viral load. Dablapmeds aims to support these goals because when ARV medication is taken continuously it is more effective as it doesn’t allow the virus a chance to grow and make the person ill,” he says.

“Together with these precautions, the pillars of the 95-95-95 strategy can bring South Africa within reach of a generation where there are no new HIV infections, and people who are positive can live long, healthy lives, well controlled on treatment with programmes such as dablapmeds that is patient centric,” Ms Munsamy says.

“As we honour the memory of too many South Africans who have passed away due to HIV/AIDS, let us each commit to knowing our status and protecting ourselves and our loved ones this World AIDS Day,” concludes Eastern Cape Premier, Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane.