WORLD AIDS DAY 2024: EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUAL CARE

Unite for Health, Equality, and Progress 

World AIDS Day (WAD), observed annually on 01 December, is a global call to action in the fight against HIV and AIDS. It commemorates those lost to AIDS-related illnesses, supports people living with HIV, and renews the global commitment to end the epidemic.  

This year, South Africa’s theme, “Equal Rights, Equal Care”, echoes the global theme, “To Protect Everyone’s Health, Protect Everyone’s Rights”. It highlights the urgency of bridging gaps in healthcare access to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, which aim for:  

1. 95% of people living with HIV knowing their status,  
2. 95% of those diagnosed on treatment, and  
3. 95% of those on treatment achieving viral suppression.  

The theme aligns with South Africa’s commitment to universal health coverage under the National Health Insurance (NHI) and celebrates milestones such as 20 years of free antiretroviral therapy (ART)** and 30 years of freedom.  

Key Focus Areas for 2024 Campaign

1. Eradicating Stigma and Discrimination

• Promote inclusive healthcare for marginalized groups, including the LGBTQIA+ community.  
• Address hate crimes and societal stigma that deter people from seeking treatment.  

2. Encouraging Treatment Adherence and U=U

• Highlight the benefits of adhering to ART, ensuring individuals achieve Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U), which means they cannot transmit HIV to others.  
• Stress the importance of regular health checks and viral load monitoring.  

3. Empowering Youth and Women

• Equip adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) with prevention tools like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), sexual health education, and STI screenings.  
• Advocate for gender equality and informed decision-making around sexual rights and family planning.  

4. Cheka Impilo – Take Charge of Your Health

   A holistic approach to wellness:  

•    Step 1: Get tested for HIV and TB.  
•    Step 2: Start treatment immediately if positive.  
•    Step 3: Adopt a healthy lifestyle using protection, avoiding risky behaviours, and eating well.  

Official Commemoration Event

When: Sunday, 1 December 2024  

Where: Sisa Dukashe Stadium, Mdantsane, East London, Eastern Cape  

Hosted by: Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Chairperson of SANAC  

Why It Matters

South Africa leads the world’s largest HIV treatment program, serving as a beacon of progress. Yet, challenges like stigma, treatment gaps, and healthcare disparities persist. World AIDS Day 2024 is a reminder that equitable healthcare is not just a goal—it is a human right.  

Join the Movement 

By embracing “Equal Rights, Equal Care”, South Africa calls on every individual, organization, and community to:  

• Advocate for inclusive healthcare.  
• Support initiatives to eradicate stigma.  
• Empower vulnerable populations.  

Together, we can advance health equity, break barriers, and move closer to an HIV-free generation.  

Stand with us this World AIDS Day. Let’s create a future where everyone, everywhere, has access to equal care and equal rights.