‘Aids is still a reality, and it kills’

THE people of Inanda, ethekwini District and the surrounding areas were advised to be always aware that Aids is still a reality, and that it kills.

These warning words were echoed by Aids activist Phume Ngcobo as she addressed the crowd gathered at JL Dube Sports field in Inanda yesterday.

Ngcobo advised those living with the pandemic about the importance of taking their medication consistently, and for those who were still HIV negative to ensure that they remained so by using condoms, as well as taking the Prep drug to prevent themselves from getting infected.

She further stressed the importance of testing for the virus to ensure that the community members were safe from further infections.

Taking their concerns into consideration, Ngcobo demanded that the government must always involve them in whatever decisions it makes around those who live with the virus, instead of them always taking unilateral decisions, without taking them into consideration.

“The government has never even asked those living with HIV how they got infected. As Aids activists we feel ‘stigmatised’ by some government officials who keep on taking decisions about us without involving us in these decisions.

“To us it is apparent that they don’t see us as people, but just numbers,” she said.

Ngcobo further complained about the closing down of Ithemba Labantu Clinic in Inanda, saying this would encourage Aids sufferers to stop taking their medication.

“By taking such unilateral decisions, the government officials are forcing us to go back onto the roads and protest instead of inviting us to sit down with them on the negotiating table,” Ngcobo asked.

“Vision 2030, which is the government’s envisioned zero-infection target, will not be realised if we continue being treated like this by those who are supposed to ensure our well-being,” Ngcobo said.

The activists further requested that the Office of the Premier to be more visible and supportive of those who live with the pandemic. They said the same for the office of ethekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, whom they thanked for being always there for them whenever they needed his support.

KZN Civic Society representative Dr Siyabonga Nzimande emphasised the importance of ensuring that the Aids pandemic was brought to an end by 2030. He commended the research institutes that were doing work around the pandemic in KZN.