Many hills still to climb … in the HIV response

published on May 12, 2016 by Samkelo Mahlalela, in Swazi Observer

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way.

“But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.” Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

The words of the late statesman, ring true to the situation that the country finds itself as far as the response to HIV and AIDS is concerned. Since the first case of AIDS was reported in 1986, the country has literally battled with containing the spread and impact of the disease. In the early times, health practitioners and academics alike, predicted that the virus could wipe-out our population of just under 1 million people.

experience

In fact, it was projected that the country would experience negative population growth rate by the year 2004. However, this was not so as the country responded with all its might and climbed the seemingly insurmountable mountain, resulting in a stabilised HIV epidemic.

At the present moment, the country is faced with new possibilities as contained in the new United Nations Joint Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) Strategy to end the global AIDS epidemic as a public threat by 2030. In fact, the Kingdom aims to meet that target 8 years earlier in 2022 when we also attain the status of a developed country, outlined by His Majesty’s Vision 2022.

The UNAIDS 2016-2021 Strategy is one of the first in the UN system to be aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which sets the framework for the global development policy over a 15-year period, including ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The strategy maps out the UNAIDS Fast-Track approach (90.90.90 initiative) to accelerate the AIDS response over a five-year period, to reach critical HIV prevention and treatment targets and achieve zero HIV stigma and discrimination. The UNAIDS Plan aims to control the spread of HIV by 2020, and work towards eliminating the disease altogether by 2030. Practically, the approach means the following for Swaziland:

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Many hills still to climb … in the HIV response

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