Don t forget about ’ Aids amid pandemic

World Aids Day this year has come and gone without much fanfare, presumably due to the outbreak of the pandemic that has gripped the world for the better part of 2020. According to the latest figures from the World Health Organisation, 1,475,825 people have already died of Covid-19 around the world in less than a year and 63,360,234 cases have been confirmed.

In SA, 21,709 people had died by the time statistics were released on Wednesday night. The death toll in Nelson Mandela Bay at last count was 1,823. It is easy, with those statistics in mind, to forget that another disease continues to spread and claim lives in SA — HIV/Aids.

According to the SA National Aids Council’s World Aids Day 2020 Campaign Advocacy & Communication Toolkit,

“SA has the biggest HIV epidemic in the world, with approximately 7.7-million people living with HIV, and accounts for a third of all new HIV infections in Southern Africa”.

“Overall, it must be noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the HIV response both locally and globally, due to disruptions in the provision of testing and treatment services,” the toolkit reads.

But one Port Elizabeth woman has made it her mission to ensure HIV/Aids stays front of mind — at least for the 5,000 people following her on social media.

Asanda Dayimane, 22, of KwaDwesi was diagnosed two years ago, but instead of being afraid, she accepted her status

— and decided to spread awareness through the #LivingPositivelyWithHIV campaign via her Facebook page.

“After I shared my status on social media, other people, some who are also positive and others who were older than me, said I was brave for coming out and how I told my parents,” she told The Herald this week.

“I want my page to help people have a safe place to talk where they can see they can live up to 20 years, have children.

“I live a healthy life with the virus. My girl was born in July and she’s negative, as is my boyfriend.”

We applaud Dayimane for the role she is playing and encourage others to do the same. Make it your mission this HIV/Aids Awareness Month to make a difference in whatever way you can, but do so safely, keeping in mind Covid-19.