Significant progress in HIV treatment outcomes reported by KZN Health department

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health is making significant strides towards improving HIV treatment outcomes, as recent data reveal a commendable performance in three leading districts.

- THOBEKA NGEMA [e-mail]

This was revealed at the KZN Provincial Council on AIDS yesterday.

Jacqueline Ngozo, the acting chief director of the Strategic Health Programme at the KZN Department of Health, presented statistics highlighting the province's progress in achieving its 95-95-95 targets. The targets mean 95% of all people living with HIV know their HIV status; 95% of those with HIV who know their status are on sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART); and 95% of those on ART have a suppressed viral load.

"What is important is to highlight the three districts that are leading in terms of the 95-95-95 targets, which is uMkhanyakude. I think in the last quarter, we presented uMkhanyakude and Harry Gwala as the two districts that are leading. They are now joined by Zululand, which is also at 98-9182. UMkhanyakude is still leading in 98-90-89 and Harry Gwala at 98-89-90," Ngozo said.

Ngozo explained for the first 95 target regarding HIV status the province currently has an aggregate of 98%, exceeding the target in the first and second quarters.

She said the challenge lies in the second 95 target: ensuring all HIV-positive individuals are on ARVs/treatment. The province remains at 87%.