TAC

Today we are in Makgwebe in Limpopo ahead of #WorldAIDSDay. We are about to kick off our community meeting with the Minister of Health presenting a BRAND NEW @RitshidzeSA report #SAHealth tac.org.za/news/fix-the-c… @HealthZA

The UNAIDS 🇿🇦 team connected with @TAC @AneleYawa & @SibongileTsha14 taking stock of the year that was amid funding cuts&reimagining the #HIV response with new Director @AlankarMalviya. Through partnerships&sustained efforts we can #endAIDS together.

This is good news. Thanks @SECTION27news @MSF @TAC

Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX), represented by SECTION27, welcome a landmark Gauteng High Court ruling ordering the state to take immediate and decisive action to end the obstruction of access to public healthcare facilities in Gauteng. The Court found that authorities violated patients’ constitutional rights by failing to prevent unlawful groups from blocking healthcare access. FULL STATEMENT: section27.org.za/2025/12/civil-… #accesstohealthcare

At today's community meeting in Makgwabe TAC called on Deputy President & Minister of Health to hold provinces accountable to fix the crisis in our health system. They must use Ritshidze’s reports as an early warning system to quickly respond to challenges on the ground #SAHealth

“We’ve brought 1000s of people back to facilities to help them start/restart ARVs. But if @HealthZA doesn’t fix clinic conditions – how long until the people we found stop going back? We are mopping up, without switching off the tap” – Daniel Mathebula, TAC #SAHealth

5️⃣ Critically — preserve and sustainably fund community-led monitoring like @RitshidzeSA . Without it, crucial visibility into system failures is lost, and accountability vanishes just when it's needed most.

Hormonal care IS lifesaving care. 50% of trans people would have wanted to access hormones at the facility. A change in national policy is critical to ensure that hormones could be prescribed by doctors at primary level, just like they are by private GPs #SAHealth #KeyPopsHealth

Harm reduction remains out of reach – 68% of facilities say they provide info about where to get sterile needles, but most facilities either referred people to private pharmacies to buy needles themselves, or to hospitals that do not provide them #SAHealth #KeyPopsHealth

3️⃣Clinics need more staff — and better support systems to prevent burnout. This includes fixing filing/data systems to speed up service delivery. 4️⃣ Ensure dignity, respect, confidentiality &non-discrimination in care incl key populations, migrants&ppl re-starting treatment.

Critical HIV prevention tools either missing, withheld, or not offered to those who could benefit: 28% of sites not providing external condoms in Lejweleputswa, 21% in Ekurhuleni, and 20% in the City of Tshwane. Only 53% of sites provide lubricants #SAHealth

Again Mangaung had the most reports of people being denied services. We are particularly concerned by the poor quality of services in Mangaung. We call for special monitoring of the situation in Mangaung at both the national & provincial levels #SAHealth #FSHealth

Additionally people can be denied services without an ID. 777 people told us they or someone they knew had been denied services without an ID (up from 665 in April to June 2025) – but 12% if the population doesn't even have an ID #SAHealth

🧵What are the recommendations to protect gains in the HIV response, clinics must restore&scale up: 1️⃣Multi-month ARV dispensing (3–6-month refills) for stable patients 2️⃣Community- and facility-based pick-up points to reduce congestion&long wait times

464 people told us they or someone they knew had been denied services without a transfer letter in the last 3 months (up from 320 in April to June 2025) #SAHealth

PLHIV who move are routinely denied care and access to services when nurses demand that they produce a transfer letter from their previous clinic. Yet transfer letters are not required by ART guidelines to start or restart your ARVs #SAHealth

People who use drugs, sex workers, and the LGBTQIA+ community continue to face dismissive and hostile conditions #KeyPopsHealth #SAHealth

Only 4% supported if they miss/are late for an appointment – while 19% shouted at (up from 12% before PEPFAR disruptions) & 24% sent to the back of the queue to wait as punishment (up from 12% before PEPFAR disruptions) #SAHealth

There's been a slight improvement in friendliness of services for general population–but not to levels before PEPFAR disruptions. Fewest reports of staff being always friendly in Mangaung (11%), Lejweleputswa (29%), Ekurhuleni (37%), Gert Sibande (39%) & Ehlanzeni (40%) #SAHealth

In addition, once a year clinical reviews for stable people living with HIV on ART are vital to allow for less clinic trips, reducing the burden on overstretched healthcare workers/over congested facilities. We need 12 month scripting NOW! #SAHealth #MoreARVPillsNow

But we are very concerned about the slow rollout of 6 month supply with just over 25,000 people enrolled. Only letting 10 facilities per province start is inequitable and far too slow. Those clinics are unlikely to even meet the very low targets set #SAHealth #MoreARVPillsNow