MEC for Health, Madoda Sambatha, during his budget vote speech on Thursday told the Legislature this as the concept of 90-90-90 goals was introduced by the United Nation’s programme on HIV/Aids in 2013. The concept was that by 2020, 90% of people who are HIV infected will be diagnosed, 90% of people who are diagnosed will be on antiretroviral treatment, and 90% of those who receive antiretroviral will be virally suppressed. Sambatha says the department will roll out the Phuthuma Project - which has been piloted in the Bojanala District - to the remaining three districts with the aim of fast-tracking the 90-90-90 programme before the year 2020. Sambatha further says special training will be introduced to these pupils with regard to patients who transgressed on ART and TB treatment.

On Thursday, Sambatha told the Legislature that a whopping 268 065 number of people living with HIV/Aids in the province are currently on the antiretroviral treatment in 2019, as compared to 176 260 in 2013/14. He also said his department plans to increase this number of treatments to more than 300 000 in this financial year. He added that the under administration department is on track with reducing maternal-child transmission of HIV. Sambatha said there is now less than 1% of HIV exposed infants against the target of 1.5% tested positive at around 10 weeks of age.

During his tabling of the department’s budget, Sambatha says Tuberculosis (TB) treatment has improved with the introduction of the new Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) TB drug Bedaquilline, which shortens the treatment period from 24 to 9 months. Sambatha further said this regimen change has improved treatment adherence and the treatment success rate has increased from 52% in 2012 to 59% currently. “The 90-90-90 strategy for HIV and TB remains a priority for the department.”

This strategy is based on the rationale that there is an estimated number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and TB in the province and the aim is to ensure that 90% of people living with HIV/Aids (PLHIV) know their HIV status, that 90% of PLHIV are initiated and remain on ART treatment, and that 90% of those on ART are virally suppressed,” he added.

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