Premier Mandla Ndlovu and civil‑society co‑chair Sonto Nkosi lead a packed MPAC sitting in Mzinti, urging faster testing, treatment and a “war” against HIV before the 2030 target. Pictures Credits: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
By Duncan Mnisi
Nkomazi – The Mpumalanga Provincial AIDS Council (MPAC) held its quarterly meeting today at the Mzinti Community Hall in the Nkomazi Local Municipality.
Co-chaired by Premier Mandla Ndlovu (government) and Ms Sonto Nkosi (Provincial Civil Society), the meeting brought together district officials, NGOs, health workers and people living with HIV to assess the province’s multisectoral response to HIV, TB and STIs.
MPAC functions as the provincial hub that aligns the National Strategic Plan (NSP) with the Provincial Implementation Plan (PIP). Its mandate is to review district performance every three months and keep all stakeholders accountable.
With Mpumalanga now ranking second-highest in the country for HIV prevalence — Premier Ndlovu cited a current figure of 16.4% — pressure is mounting to strengthen prevention strategies and improve treatment outcomes.
Key numbers driving the urgency
- Mpumalanga’s overall HIV prevalence stood at 17.4% in 2022, equal to roughly 890 000 people living with HIV.
- Among adults aged 25–49, prevalence climbs to 26.4% — with women at 31.9% and men at 19.9%.
- Adolescent boys (15–24) carry a 1.5-times higher prevalence (9.8%) than girls (6.3%).
- Antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage rose from 65.4% in 2017 to 81.8% in 2022, yet only 56.4% of youth aged 15–24 are on ART.
Premier Ndlovu warned, “We need to accelerate our efforts in order to achieve the global 95-95-95 targets and end these health threats by 2030.” He added that government is expanding free HIV testing and will actively mobilise those who test positive to begin treatment without delay.
Ms Nkosi, speaking on behalf of civil society, stressed the importance of ensuring people living with HIV remain at the centre of decision-making. “We must utilise conditional donor funds solely for the fight against HIV and TB. Failure to spend them will impact negatively on our quest to mitigate stigma and discrimination,” she said.
She urged the province to prioritise men-friendly health services and encouraged men to “personally test and know their status.”
Mpumalanga will host its Provincial World AIDS Day commemoration on Friday at Kamhlushwa Stadium under the theme “Renewed efforts and sustainable commitments to end AIDS.” The event will include free HIV testing, TB screening and other integrated health services, reinforcing the province’s drive toward achieving the UNAIDS 2030 95-95-95 goals.
