Three districts in KwaZulu-Natal have become the first in the country to meet the UNAIDS’ ambitious treatment target to help end the Aids pandemic. This was the pronouncement made by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala who congratulated the Ugu, UMkhanyakude, and UMzinyathi districts for having reached the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets.
The 90-90-90 concept was introduced by the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2013 to set targets that had to be achieved by 2020 if the world wanted to make a significant dent in the controlling the pandemic.
The set of goals were that 90% of HIV infected people should know their status; 90% of those who know their status should be initiated on anti-retroviral therapy and 90% of those on treatment should be virally suppressed. All this should be achieved by 2020.
Ugu, UMkhanyakude, and UMzinyathi districts have made history by achieving the targets a year early while another six districts (Amajuba, EThekwini, King Cetshwayo, UMgungundlovu, UThukela, and Zululand) are expected to follow suit by March 2020.
The remaining two districts (Harry Gwala and Ilembe) will be supported to achieve epidemic control by December 2020.
“We are pleased that these districts have achieved the 90-90-90 targets, a year before the date set by UNAIDS and we know that many more are to follow suit soon. This is a result of a multi-pronged approach which has included working with various stakeholders to educate our people on HIV/AIDS coupled with a massive rollout of ARV treatment. While this is no doubt a positive milestone, we will not relent until the war is won. As the province with the highest prevalence we know that it starts with us. For South Africa to win the war on HIV/AIDS, KwaZulu-Natal must first win it,” Premier Zikalala said.
The Premier added that in KwaZulu-Natal, 75% of people living with HIV know their status; 95% of People Living with HIV are on ART; and 90% are virally suppressed.
Zikalala also welcomed the introduction of a new TLD anti-retroviral drug which was launched in Ugu District on Wednesday. Despite being cheaper, the TLD improves the rate of viral suppression and has fewer side-effects.