#EFF Statement on #WorldAIDSDay

01 December, 2013

Economic Freedom Fighters marks the important international campaign on combating the spread of HIV/AIDS and related deaths. Today being World AIDS Day, EFF wishes to remind all fighters and the rest of South Africans of three important things:

a) Is the importance of knowing your status; a fighter is not a fighter unless they know their status. Knowing your status is critical to combating AIDS as one can be put on treatment before complete deterioration. All fighters are therefore called upon to test and know their status, including advocating for a "know your status" position to all our people.

b) It is important to work on combating the stigma of infected people; due to medical research over the years we now know that HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence as long as people are put on treatment. The stigma on HIV/AIDS is among other things a contributing factor to people not finding help on time and fearing tom know their status. We must at all times de-stigmatise the idea that one is filthy/condemned when they have the virus, because people contract HIV/AIDS under different conditions. Out health practitioners must continue to help make testing safe so individuals can know that their dignity is protected.

c) HIV/AIDS has been the cause of trauma for women and girl children who are virgins as they have become targets of positive men who believe in the false and dangerous myth that sleeping with a virgin can cure AIDS. Health education, particularly focused on HIV/AIDS awareness must highlight this phenomenon

The fight against HIV/AIDS is also related to the fight for the provision of free quality health care for our people. Recently it was reported that there were shortages of ARVs in many hospitals and clinics across the country leading to provision of less doses than required to people. This result in treatment interruptions that make patients more vulnerable to "virologic failure" thus HIV-positive people become more vulnerable to opportunistic infections that could kill them. Mpumalanga, Free State and Limpopo are said to be the worst affected provinces. The Department of Health's response should therefore be to subject all these assertions into test by commissioning an investigation of its own instead of simply expressing shock.

HIV/AIDS can be defeated and it starts with a conscious practice of protected sex, testing and a healthy sexual life. However, above all, the systemic health problems must be combated with decisiveness to ensure that no one' life is cut short by the virus when they could live much longer through provision of free quality treatment and healthcare.

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, December 1 2013

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