Our activists and those organisations that fought gallantly for the rollout of the antiretrovirals are now quiet and there is little movement and awareness on our streets. This does not mean the virus is no longer around.
HIV/Aids is still with us and most likely, it would be around for years to come. Sexually active individuals still need to be cautious and not take things for granted.
The fact that there is not too much noise about the scourge does not mean it is no longer a threat. It is a bigger threat now as less and less is said.
Our activists and those organisations that fought gallantly for the rollout of the antiretrovirals are now quiet and there is little movement and awareness on our streets.
This does not mean the virus is no longer around.
On Friday 1 December, the world commemorated World Aids Day, remembering all those who died as a result of HIV/Aids and related illnesses. This is one of those events we need to celebrate continuously to stay safe. HIV is no longer a serious killer as it used to be but infections are still a big threat.
The biggest difference is that ARVs are available to fight the virus and it is every infected individual’s responsibility to take the treatment as required. Defaulting on treatment is not the answer. It severely shortens a person’s life span.
I must say, it dawned while I was reading some of the news stories in the media about HIV that we have made significant strides as a nation. Gone are the days when HIV/Aids talk was taboo.
Let us be grateful to organisations such as the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and its stakeholders for making the virus fashionable. I believe each family has a person or relative who died or infected with the virus. So, directly or indirectly, we are all affected. We cannot take the virus lightly. Many people have died not because of the virus but because of the stigma associated with it.
Most of those people were discriminated against by their families and the community. We need to thank our activists who stood up and spoke about the scourge when it was not fashionable to do so.
We cannot underestimate the role played by Zackie Achmat and his comrades in talking openly about the virus while compelling the government to roll out the ARVs at public facilities.
Many people are still alive because of their actions. While the virus still exists, the stigma is not the same. We need to unite to fight against the virus.