World AIDS Day 2014

As in previous years even this year on 06.12. 2014 – a few days after the World AIDS Day – the members of Tsibogang Christian Action Group gathered in order enlist themselves in the global fight against the AIDS pandemic. During the traditional Candle Lighting Paballo Loving for Tshepanang, Gaolatlheope for Tlamelang and Kelebogile Kortjas for Amogelang lit the candle of hope. We remembered all those who have died of AIDS, particularly our member Adam Kgomongwe who we have buried a few weeks ago.

Paballo Loving, Gaolatleope Mokoena und Kelebogile Kortjas beim Candle Lighting
Paballo Loving, Gaolatleope Mokoena und Kelebogile Kortjas at the Candle Lighting

In his speech, Dr. Wolfgang Hermann related the goals propagated by UNAIDS at the World AIDS Conference in Melborne this year with the situation in South Africa and our local situation in Tsibogang.

UNAIDS says: If we have implemented “90-90-90” by 2020, in 2030 the AIDS pandemic will be over.

The first 90 stands for 90% of all those who are living with HIV have been tested and therefore know their status. Presently less than half of all HIV positive in South Africa know their status. So we offered today in the room next to the hall free HIV rapid testing, that was used by many members. For us as members of Tsibogang this first 90 quite reachable, for all South African in 2020 maybe.

The second 90 stands for 90% of all who are tested HIV positive begin to take Antiretroviral Treatment- ART. Of the approximately 6.4 million HIV-positive in South Africa currently 2.2 million take ART. The main argument for getting the other 4.2 million immediately on treatment is that this will make them significantly less infectious for others i because the number of viruses is drastically reduced in their blood. But the vast majority of these 4.2 million is still at an early stage of the disease, that means they feel completely healthy and fit. Is it realistic to think that they take daily medication for 5-7 years without ever having felt sick? The majority of physicians in HIV Clinicians Conference in Cape Town in September 2014 were very doubtful about this and suggested firstly to implement the now valid provision that all HIV positive with a CD4 count of less than 350 / ml should get ART. This is also our policy in Tsibogang for all patients and members we serve.

The third 90 stands for 90% of all who started ART should daily take this medication until the day s/he dies. The fact that we have never experienced a year in Tsibogang in which we have not buried at least one of our members, because he/she did not or no longer take ART shows you the size of the challenge. In Tsibogang our members are almost bombarded with messages of treatment adherence. What then about patients from the “normal” population? At our event today Itsholeng Moepi gave us a shining example that treatment adherence is possible. For ten years she takes ART without any interruption! It needs a miracle to happen for this example to spread like a wild fire!

World AIDS Day 2014
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