In an effort to eliminate HIV and Aids as a public threat and close the gap by putting an additional 1.1 million people who are living with HIV but are not on treatment, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi implored men to lead the fight against HIV by getting tested and receiving care.
Motsoaledi was speaking during the launch of the HIV Treatment Campaign aimed at reaching 1.1 million people by the end of December 2025, at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital Community Hall in Soweto, on Tuesday.
The campaign, launched in collaboration with the South African National Aids Council (SANAC), is in line with the new South African National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs (NSP) for 2023-2028 and UNAIDS’s 95-95-95 targets to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
It is part of the country’s ongoing interventions to enhance the uptake of HIV treatment to ensure that 95% of people diagnosed with HIV receive and adhere to antiretroviral therapy (ART) to achieve viral suppression.
South Africa has 7.8 million people living with HIV and Aids, and 7.5 million of them know their status, while at least 5.9 million are on ARV treatment.
Motsoaledi stated that evidence indicates men are a significant challenge in the fight against HIV and Aids, a concern echoed by various speakers.
“My brothers, if we are willing, we can help win this battle. It is us who are holding it back. I was told that when we go to clinics, women come there in large numbers but men are nowhere to be seen,” Motsoaledi said.
He added that he was informed that men are rarely found in clinics or churches.
Motsoaledi said it is only when people get tested, receive care, and stay on treatment that HIV can no longer be a threat to society by 2030.
“We must not reach a situation where we accept that HIV is here forever. We can do away with it and it all depends on us; it is in our hands and depends on our will,” Motsoaledi.
SANAC civil society chairperson Solly Nduku said people are falling out of HIV care due to stigma and ill-treatment, and mental health.
He added that as partners, implementers and watchdogs of HIV and TB — they will redefine the approach to ensure HIV care is inclusive, accessible and provides total care, while monitoring the programme’s effectiveness. He also put emphasis on the youth.
Gordon Didiza, a TB survivor, who is also living with HIV, explained that men run away from care due to ill-treatment at clinics.
“Men run away from clinics because of the ill-treatment. The respect between nurses and patients is important. I had TB in 2009 and defaulted after three months. In 2018, I tested positive for HIV and TB and this time, I met nurses who were different and they told me that I also have rights. Today, I am still on treatment,” Didiza said.
He said other factors causing some to stay away were transport costs, and being told to eat healthy while you are unemployed.
Mluleki Zazini, SANAC People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Sector chairperson, said Pepfar has affected his people, and this is a wake-up call.
“We will collaborate with all identified sectors and place people living with HIV as ambassadors for this campaign. Will address the human rights and stigma challenges. We need to make sure we don’t drop the ball,” Zazini said.
He urged the government to be transparent about the budget it has to implement this campaign.
“It is high time that we integrate healthcare services, while addressing the attitude of healthcare workers. This attitude is what deters men from seeking help at clinics,” he said.
Rev Pule Goqo, SANAC Men’s Sector chairperson in Gauteng, said there is a need to empower sex workers in HIV care because their customers are men.
Dr Kibachio Joseph Mwangi, a World Health Organization (WHO) medical officer, expressed support for the campaign and said that closing the gap of 1.1 million people “will ensure that we reach the second 95%”.
Anne Githuku-Shongwe, the director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa, said South Africa represents one-fifth of the people who live with HIV around the world.
Githuku-Shongwe said the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) has been one of the most impactful programmes in the fight against HIV, however, it only covered 17%.
“We see the level of commitment and investment that South Africa has — the 74% self-funded is a global first. You are a leader, you have led the way in a way that no other country has been able to demonstrate, and at the magnitude that you have done so.
“Minister, you have told us many times that the (Pepfar gap) is only 17%, and that gap has to be filled. I think that in the room, there are private sector members. In our analysis, we see that you only provide 2% of the HIV response in South Africa. The gap now is 17%; so imagine if you were to take one 10% or 12% or more — so, it’s a challenge to you as the private sector,” she said.
She urged the private sector to mobilise like they did during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Tshegofatso Gopane, the deputy chairperson of the SANAC Private Sector Forum (PSF), committed to closing the gap and fostering effective use of resources.
She promised to pass on the message about the private sector taking up at least 10% to 12% of the gap left by Pepfar.
