South Africa’s HIV program is getting a facelift. Screening is now universal and antiretrovirals are free for anyone who tests positive.
South Africa declares war on AIDS. 19% of its population is infected with HIV. A universal care program was created to identify any sick person. The government announced on September 2 the establishment of universal screening. Anyone who tests positive will be systematically treated. The country hopes to double the number of people on antiretroviral drugs.
Limited stocks
Interrupting the transmission of HIV: this is what the South African government is aiming for. According to its spokesman, Joe Maila, the country would be able to take 10 years ahead of the UNAIDS objectives thanks to this plan. If followed correctly, 90% of people living with HIV will know their HIV status by 2020. 90% of them will be on antiretroviral treatment. Assuming access to drugs is assured, 90% of these patients will have an undetectable viral load.
The effort to be made will be massive. This is precisely what drives associations to be cautious. “We support the modification of the eligibility for antiretrovirals, but we have serious reservations about the ability of the provincial branches of the public health system to effectively implement these recommendations”, temperate Treatment Action Campaign. Stock shortages are at the heart of this association’s concerns.
Aware of these difficulties, the government is improving the visibility of stocks. Thanks to a phone application, any patient could view the availability of drugs and report a shortage.
In line with recommendations
The burden of HIV is considerable in South Africa: 7 million people live with the virus, and 180,000 die each year. Good care should raise life expectancy to 70 years from 63 today, according to the country’s government. Sex workers will also be better taken care of: pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) will be offered to them.
This program greatly enhances recognition of the HIV epidemic in South Africa. The country did benefit from a free treatment program in public health centres. But for the three million HIV-positive patients who got their supplies there, access to treatment was unequal. It was reserved for people whose CD4+ T lymphocyte count was below the threshold of 500 copies per ml of blood. With this new program, the country is therefore in line with international recommendations. Whether he will be able to stay the course remains to be seen.
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