Bertha Gxowa Hospital marks World Aids Day
Khumalo emphasised that renewed effort begins with compassion: encouraging testing, supporting colleagues, reminding patients to remain on treatment, and creating judgement-free spaces.
Bertha Gxowa Hospital commemorated World Aids Day on December 4, urging renewed community action to support the 1.1 million South Africans living with HIV who have defaulted on treatment.
Bertha Gxowa Hospital hosted its annual commemoration under the national “Close the Gap” campaign, which aims to identify and link 1.1 million people living with HIV who know their status but are not on treatment to antiretroviral therapy by 2025.
The initiative is central to achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
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Held under the theme “Renewed Efforts and Sustainable Commitments to End Aids,” the event featured speakers from various health disciplines.
Pharmacist Muhammad Dhooma highlighted the critical importance of following treatment instructions to ensure effectiveness and prevent drug resistance.
Hospital CEO Lebohang Khumalo delivered the keynote address, reminding attendees that World Aids Day is a moment to remember the individuals behind the statistics, family members, neighbours, patients, and friends whose lives have been shaped by HIV.
“We are here to honour those we have lost, and to celebrate the strength of those who continue to live and fight with courage every day,” she said.
Khumalo emphasised that renewed effort begins with compassion: encouraging testing, supporting colleagues, reminding patients to remain on treatment, and creating judgement-free spaces. Sustainable commitment, she added, extends beyond hospital walls and includes families who stand by loved ones, communities that replace stigma with understanding, and healthcare workers who show up daily despite pressures.
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“At Bertha Gxowa Hospital, we recommit to being a place of dignity, healing, and hope where every person is seen, heard, and valued,” she said.
“Ending Aids is not only a medical goal but a human one. Together, we can build a future where HIV no longer steals lives or opportunities,” said Khumalo.
