EFF statement on World AIDS Day

1 December 2015

The EFF joins the international community in a united call to raise awareness about the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS in our communities. Africa remains the continent that is most hit by the pandemic with 70% of the HIV/AIDS infected population living in the continent. Although there are improvements that have been made over the years, more still needs to be done to end the HIV/AIDS horrors in our society. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that, “Since the epidemic’s peak in 2004, the number of deaths has fallen by 42% with some 7.8 million lives being saved over the last 15 years, according to a new WHO report. The number of new infections has fallen by 35%.”

The report adds that, “scale-up of ART has been most dramatic in the WHO African Region where now more than 11 million people are receiving HIV treatment, up from 11 000 at the turn of the century. Globally, in June 2015 close to 16 million people out of a total of 37 million people living with HIV were taking ART.” However, this means that 21 million people living with the disease still need access to ART, this is still very high.

Society must still wage the battle against the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS which forms part of the problems in combating the pandemic. Stigma sentences people living with HIV/AIDS to death as if there is no treatment that can increase their days on earth by many decades. Stigma is also responsible for many who hide and not come out so that they receive help from our health institution because they fear to be judged and condemned. Most importantly and unfortunate is stigma suffered by many in companies particularly in the insurance and financial industries. We call on these companies to stop discriminating against people living with HIV/AIDS and denying them access to financial services.

Access to primary healthcare is also at the centre of making sure that the 21 million people who live with HIV/AIDS get access to treatment, particularly in the rural and impoverished communities. However, above all, preventative measures are the greatest weapon to fight against more infections and ensure that we stop HIV/AIDS from extending to the next generation. The EFF therefore calls on all men who have not undergone circumcision to do so as it reduces the risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS infection by 60%. The EFF also calls on all people to know their status by testing for HIV/AIDS. A fighter is not a fighter unless they know their status. We call on all sexually active people to use of condoms and help end the spread of HIV/AIDS. Finally, the EFF calls on research to be intensified in Africa for the actual treatment unlike the current ARV that only supresses the virus and not actually treating it.

Issued by Mbuyiseni Quintin Ndlozi, National spokesperson, EFF, 1 December 2015