SANAC presented key findings on HIV/AIDS control to the National Council of Provinces

Dr. Thembisile Khulu, CEO of the South African AIDS Council Trust (SANAC), expressed concern over the rate of adolescent pregnancy in South Africa. The South African AIDS Council (SANAC) presented three main issues to the National Council of Provinces on Wednesday to strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS.

SANAC voiced its concerns regarding HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) trends in the country, particularly among individuals aged 13 to 50. Furthermore, it was noted that provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State, and Eastern Cape register the highest number of people living with HIV in the country.

The Council also outlined the main factors contributing to dual HIV and STI infections, including adolescent pregnancy, as well as prevention methods for such infections, for example, by addressing adolescent pregnancy.

Key Priorities and Proposals from SANAC

Dr. Thembisile Khulu, CEO of the SANAC Trust, noted that South Africa has made significant strides in responding to the HIV challenge, but progress remains uneven. SANAC identified three priorities: the establishment of a unified national/provincial coordinating body mandated by the Cabinet; the development of a National Strategic Plan (NSP), Provincial Implementation Plans (PIPs), and Municipal/District Implementation Plans (MDIPs); and the implementation of a unified Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system for standardized tracking and accountability of results.

Khulu also addressed the interconnected issue: structural, behavioral, and interpersonal factors influencing HIV, tuberculosis, STIs, as well as child and adolescent pregnancy. She called for a multi-sectoral response where prevention integrates biomedical, behavioral, and structural measures across government, the private sector, and civil society.

Additionally, SANAC proposed an imperative of delivery, whereby strong and adequately resourced national and provincial AIDS councils, including local structures, must translate the national strategy into coordinated local action. Khulu also focused on issues of disease burden concentration, adequate integration of prevention measures, and ways to financially strengthen SANAC to enhance its effectiveness.

Funding and Statistics

At the National Council of Provinces meeting, it was revealed that SANAC's annual requirement is 84 million rand, funded by the Ministry of Health and the Department of Social Development (DSD). However, in the 2026/2027 financial year, SANAC only received 50 million rand, which is 60% of the required funding. Khulu reported that they had to seek funds from donors.

According to statistics, South Africa accounts for approximately 20.5% of all People Living with HIV (PLHIV) globally. Approximately 8 million people live with HIV in the country, with 83% receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), and the country bears 31.2% of the total HIV burden in Sub-Saharan Africa.

podrobno.uzJuly 29, 13:00

UN warns: funding cuts and discrimination threaten global fight against AIDS

The global community risks failing to meet the United Nations' goal of eradicating AIDS as a public health issue by 2030. The main barriers to this goal are the reduction in international financial support for HIV control programs, lack of funds, and ongoing discrimination among vulnerable populations.

UNAIDS Report on the AIDS Crisis

These findings are contained in a special document from the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) titled 'United to End AIDS,' which was presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference. According to UNAIDS data, external aid to developing countries decreased by 18% in 2025, and the annual funding deficit for HIV control reached a substantial amount of $4.3 billion.

Consequences of Financial and Social Problems

The reduction in funding has led to disruptions in prevention, testing, and medical care provision in many countries, especially in programs managed by local non-governmental organizations. Experts also emphasize that stigmatization and existing legal restrictions prevent millions of people from accessing treatment and preventive measures, thereby contributing to the further spread of HIV.

In several countries, laws exist that impose criminal liability for actions such as sex work, drug possession, or homosexual relationships. Because of this, representatives of these groups often fear seeking medical help or participating in prevention activities.

Epidemic Geography and Statistics

The organization estimates that 49% of all new global HIV infections affect key population groups and their partners. Against this backdrop, the epidemiological situation is worsening in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where half of all new infections are recorded, women and adolescent girls account for 60% of those infected, yet only 55% of children living with HIV receive treatment.

Currently, about 41 million people live with HIV, of whom 32.1 million are undergoing antiretroviral therapy. Only 1.2 million new infections were registered in 2025, and 570 thousand people died from AIDS-related causes. The report authors point out that these figures demonstrate a significant lag behind planned targets. Compared to last year, the number of new infections exceeded the target by approximately one million, and mortality was 400 thousand cases higher than expected.

Solutions to the Crisis

To overcome the current crisis, the report authors propose relying on the updated Global Strategy for 2026–2031 and the UN Political Declaration. These documents aim to ensure the full integration of specialized medical services into national healthcare systems, increase the number of people receiving treatment to 40 million, and introduce modern long-acting injectable drugs, such as lenacapavir, which is administered only twice a year and provides near-complete protection against HIV.