Equal Rights, Equal Care!
In a compelling observance of World AIDS Day, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) partnered with the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), and the Sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE) to host a panel discussion under the theme “Equal Rights, Equal Care.” The event brought together leading experts in the HIV field to address critical issues surrounding HIV prevention, treatment, and societal challenges.
Opening the discussion, Professor Thumbi Ndung’u, Director for Basic and Translational Science at AHRI and Programme Director at SANTHE, emphasized that despite decades of HIV research and the availability of effective treatments, significant gaps remain in reaching vulnerable populations. ‘What is more worrying is the staggering increase of HIV infection among adolescents,’ said Ndung’u. ‘We need to couple communication strategies with the latest biomedical advances to tackle this crisis effectively.’
Mr Patrick Mdletshe, Head of Community Programmes at CAPRISA and Deputy General Secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign, reflected on challenges in KwaZulu-Natal. ‘Young people view HIV prevention as optional rather than essential. They rely on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) without considering that testing positive for HIV would require a lifetime on antiretroviral therapy (ART), with all its challenges,’ he noted. Mdletshe highlighted the disconnection between the proven efficacy of PrEP and its real-world use, compounded by declining condom usage among youth.
Socioeconomic disparities were a recurring theme. Mr Siya Nzimande, Head of the Health Unit at Enhancing Care Foundation, pointed out that financial pressures drive many adolescents into risky behaviors, such as relationships with older partners for material gain. ‘Socioeconomic status is often valued more than health precautions,’ he said, underscoring the role of poverty in exacerbating the epidemic.
Panelists also discussed alarming statistics: nearly 8 million South Africans live with HIV, but approximately 2.3 million lack access to treatment, with men making up the majority of this group. Professor Ndung’u highlighted findings from an eThekwini study revealing that only 1,800 out of 14,000 children needing ART were receiving it.
Cultural and behavioral shifts are integral to progress, according to Ms Thobeka Mzimela, Secretary of the Campus HIV/AIDS Support Unit (CHASU) at UKZN. ‘HIV scientific advancements must align with cultural values and lifestyles. Social behavior change is critical, and the community voice must be central to all solutions,’ she asserted.
Mzimela mentioned that at UKZN’s Howard College campus, peer educators found that their prevention messages where being underscored by the students’ material needs and societal pressure. She said, ‘Students view others lavish lifestyle on Instagram but never question how this fellow student came into that wealth. We are noticing a trend that students often use their bodies as a commodity in order to increase their socioeconomic status.’
Associate Professor Limakatso Lebina, Director for Clinical Trials at AHRI, reiterated the importance of addressing stigma and educating communities. ‘Biomedical interventions must coexist with evolving cultural and traditional norms. Prevention principles like Abstinence, Being faithful, Condom use, and avoiding Drugs (ABCD) remain vital, but many young people are unaware of them. Stigma, particularly among married women, remains a serious barrier to accessing treatment’
Dr Nokukhanya Msomi, Head of Virology at UKZN and the National Health Laboratory Services, highlighted disparities in healthcare access. ‘Women tend to access healthcare more positively, but we must empower all populations, especially those with limited ability to negotiate safe practices,’ she said.
Concluding the discussion, Lebina urged scientists to maintain their focus on developing an HIV vaccine while simultaneously addressing socio-economic inequalities that hinder equal access to care.
The panel underscored the multifaceted nature of the HIV epidemic and the urgent need for an integrated approach to ensure “Equal Rights, Equal Care” for all. You can access the panel discussion: https://youtu.be/xecfyhtLi-8