The HIV Treatment Gap Campaign (1.1 million).

Lukho Mkwedi Phuthi welcomes back Mr. Masilela from the Gauteng Department of Health to discuss the HIV Treatment Gap Campaign (1.1 million). The campaign is named after the estimated 1.1 million South Africans who are HIV‑positive but are not yet on treatment or have stopped taking their medication. The main target is to identify and reconnect these individuals with the public health system, ensuring they start or resume antiretroviral therapy. The aim is to reduce new infections, lower transmission rates, and improve quality of life by closing the gap between diagnosis and treatment. The discussion highlights those who know their status but choose not to take pills due to stigma, fear, misinformation, or personal circumstances, and stresses the importance of community education, testing, and ongoing support to keep people on treatment.