Urgent call for residents to reconnect with HIV and TB care

In the southern district, nearly 4,000 people living with HIV/Aids are not currently accessing care, according to the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness.

The department, together with the National Department of Health and community partners, is calling on anyone who has missed appointments or stopped treatment to reconnect with care, without judgment.

Through the Close the Gap and End TB campaigns, health authorities are helping people in the province start or restart HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) treatment.

The initiative is delivered in partnership with WHO, UNAIDS, and local organisations.

According to national estimates, around 160,000 people in the Western Cape are living with HIV/Aids but not yet on treatment.

Provincial data shows that just over 111,000 people have not accessed services in the past 24 months. Health teams are targeting facilities where the need is greatest, using local data to reach out and bring people back into care.

Juanita McLaughlin, HAST programmes manager for the Southern Western Sub-structures, said the department is actively working to bring people back into care.

“We are taking action through the Close the Gap and End TB campaigns. We want every person to know: your health matters, and we’re here to help you get back on track.”

The department says knowing your HIV/Aids and TB status is essential to protecting yourself and your loved ones.

Starting or restarting treatment can protect your health and prevent transmission. Services are now more accessible through wellness hubs, mobile screening vans, community outreaches, clinics, and youth zones,” the department said.

They also highlighted practical steps to protect health, such as completing TB treatment, using condoms, considering PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) if at risk, limiting sexual partners, and keeping indoor spaces ventilated.

For people living withHIV/Aids, the U=U principle (Undetectable = Untransmittable) applies: being on sustained treatment with an undetectable viral load prevents sexual transmission.

Whether visiting a clinic for the first time or returning after a break, health authorities emphasise that patients will be welcomed without judgment.

With thousands in the Western Cape and surrounding areas, having fallen out of care, the initiative provides hope, reduces stigma, and aims to save lives.

For more information or to reconnect with treatment, residents are urged to visit their local clinic or contact their community wellness hub.