The World Health Organisation (WHO) says although the world has made significant progress in recent decades, important global targets for 2020 were not met.
It has called on global leaders to confront the inequalities that drive HIV/AIDS which remains a major public health issue that affects millions of people worldwide.
On World AIDS Day on Wednesday, the UN health agency says division, disparity and disregard for human rights are among the failures that have allowed HIV to remain a global health crisis.
It says now, COVID-19 is exacerbating inequities and disruptions to services, making the lives of many people living with HIV more challenging.
Deputy President David Mabuza in Limpopo as World AIDS Day is being commemorated today:
Meanwhile, Deputy President David Mabuza is leading this year’s Worlds AIDS Day commemoration at Sasalemane outside Malamulele in Limpopo.
Some home-based care centres in the province believe the government’s focus on the coronavirus pandemic is negatively affecting HIV/AIDS programmes.
The co-ordinator at the Kgatelopele centre, Tivekani Mulondlozi, says since the start of COVID-19 last year, some HIV/AIDS positive patients are no longer taking their medication and some caregivers are not allowed to visit some homes.
“Coronavirus has affected all of us. Many patients no longer take medication because they are afraid to go to the clinics and hospitals. We normally visit schools but there is a new rule that [says] we can’t visit schools. So we are not able to reach the 14-25 group for their yolo program,” says Mulondlozi.
