By BAKANG MOKOTO

North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi said there are encouraging signs of the province being on a right trajectory in reducing HIV infections. Mokgosi said this during a quarterly meeting address of the Provincial Council on Aids held at Mmabatho Palms Hotel in Mahikeng. 

He further said since the resuscitation of the council, the provincial government has been able to coordinate and bring together various stakeholders in response to HIV infections. Mokgosi added that through these collaborative efforts, they have been able to respond positively in bringing down HIV-AIDS infections in the past three years with a decline of 1.7% in the last financial year. 

“The province has been able to reduce AIDS-related deaths since 2017. Our efforts in reducing AIDS-related deaths are gaining traction and from 2017, we reduced these deaths from 5169 to 3100 in 2022. 

“It is also encouraging to mention that life expectancy has increased from 64 years in 2019 to 66 years in 2023 for both males and females. Of concern is over 24 000 young people between the ages of 20-24, who are living with HIV with only over 13 000 on treatment,” he said.

Mokgosi said as he indicated in his Opening of the Provincial Legislature Address, the youth agenda is one of the apex priorities of this administration and this cuts across the board. He said they are going to double their efforts in combating the spread of HIV among young people. 

“These campaigns will be rolled out in our schools and institutions of higher learning. This will include working with various youth formations to intensify these campaigns.

“As of June 2024, over 540 000 people are living with HIV in the province and over 366 000 are on treatment. The Bojanala and Ngaka Modiri Molema remain hotspots in terms of HIV with infections hovering around 260 000 and 111 000 respectively,” said Mokgosi. 

He said in strengthening the province’s ongoing efforts in response to HIV, North West has already concluded the End-term Review of the 2017/2022 giving impetus to the development of the 2023/28 Provincial Implementation Plan (PIP) on HIV and AIDS, STIs and TB. 

“We will ensure that this plan trickles down to all four districts of the province, as it will play a pivotal role in coordinating and overseeing the HIV-AIDS response and related diseases in the province,” said Mokgosi.

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