THIRTY-SEVEN years into the battle to eradicate HIV and Aids in South Africa, stigma and discrimination surrounding the human immunodeficiency virus still persists, leading to a number of affected people avoiding seeking treatment.

This, among other issues, is a major concern for government and the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) as SA prepares to commemorate World Aids Day on Monday, December 1. They are calling for renewed efforts in fighting the disease.

Under the national theme of ‘Renewed Efforts and Sustainable Commitments to End Aids’ and global theme of “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the Aids Response”, government has reaffirmed the commitment to work towards eradicating the disease which has claimed the lives of millions in SA over the three decades.

“Stigma and discrimination can be as devastating as the illness itself may mean abandonment by a partner or family, social exclusion, job and property loss, school expulsion, denial of medical services, lack of care and support,” said government. “These consequences, or fear of them, mean that people are less likely to come in for HIV testing, disclose their HIV status to others, adopt HIV preventive behaviour or access treatment, care and support. It results in a lower uptake of HIV preventive services and postponing or rejecting care.”

Also Read: World Aids Day: The fight forges ahead

This concern was shared by the NIOH, a division of the National Health Laboratory Services, which is calling on employers to integrate HIV prevention and care into occupational health services and for the implementation of a comprehensive workplace response to HIV, one rooted in health, wellness, dignity, and inclusion.

Professor Muzimkhulu Zungu of the NIOH said workplace-based programmes are essential for sustaining national progress in HIV prevention and long-term management. According to statistics, SA has the highest HIV burden worldwide, with an estimated 18.1% of the working-age population living with HIV.

According to the HSRC’s Sixth South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, Behaviour, and Communication Survey, HIV prevalence peaks in the 35–39 age group for females and the 45–49 age group for males, critical segments of the country’s workforce, whereas new HIV infections are highest among young people 15 to 30 years old, who are the future workforce. Zungu emphasised that employers must do more to ensure workers have access to HIV prevention and care at work.

“In seeking to align workplace health, wellness and disease management (HWD) services with national HIV strategies, employers should implement comprehensive and non-discriminatory programmes that can help close management gaps, protect their workforce, and reinforce South Africa’s commitment to ending HIV and AIDS,” said Zungu.

For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here