Mbabane – Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development Sikhumbuzo Dlamini led a candlelight ceremony at the ministry headquarters to remember those living with HIV and those lost to the disease.
Dlamini thanked the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA) for collaborating with the ministry to curb HIV and urged staff to take care of their health, cautioning that reckless behaviour could compromise lives as HIV remains prevalent in the country.
During the event, PSHACC Director Sandile Mweli noted the ministry’s initiative to educate staff about health matters was commendable, saying employees spend much of their time at the workplace. He stated, “Behind every HIV/AIDS statistic there is a human,” stressing the importance of reaching people where they are rather than treating them solely as numbers.
Mweli also called on NERCHA to intensify educational campaigns on the new injectable PrEP, which provides six months of protection against HIV. He warned that this could lead to “irresponsible behaviour,” as emaSwati might engage in unprotected sex assuming they are fully protected, forgetting the risk of other sexually transmitted infections.
NERCHA’s Director of Financial Services, Mphiwa Dlamini, speaking on behalf of the director, said this year’s World AIDS Day theme urges the nation to confront evolving challenges in the HIV response and sustain the progress achieved. While Eswatini has reached the global 95-95-95 targets, the SHIMS 3 Report shows about 4,000 new infections still occur annually, especially among adolescents and young people.
Dlamini added that gains are being tested by reductions in international funding and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancers among people living with HIV. She urged full implementation of the 2024–2028 National HIV Strategic Framework and the National HIV Coordination Framework to sustain and strengthen the country’s HIV response.
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