HIV/AIDS AWARENESS 2025 – DRM Division
Reflections, Progress, and the Road Ahead
December 1st was an important time to reflect on South Africa’s progress in combating the HIV pandemic, while also recommitting to the work that is still required to fight AIDS. The national theme for 2025 “Renewed Efforts, Sustainable Commitments to End AIDS” highlighted a social commitment to continuing advances and closing the gaps in the fight against AIDS (Government of South Africa, 2025).
Recent figures indicate considerable progress. According to the SABSSM V1 National HIV Survey, HIV infection rates across all ages decreased from 14.0% in 2017 to 12.7% in 2022 (Human Sciences Research Council, 2023a). Antiretroviral Therapy(ART) has significantly increased, reaching roughly 80.9%in 2022 compared to the 63.7% in 20217 (HSRC, 2023b).
Progress toward the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets is encouraging as 89% of people living with HIV aged 15 and older know their HIV status, 90.7% are on treatment, and 93.9% are virally suppressed (HSRC, 2023c).
In spite of these gains, difficulties still exits. For instance, estimates show that more than one in four people living with HIV remain untreated, despite the widely recommended antiretroviral therapy (SECTION27, 2024). In response to this challenge, the government and its partners started the Close the Gap programme in 2025, hoping to introduce 1.1. million individuals on antiretroviral therapy (World Health Organisation, Regional Office for Africa, 2025).
Stigma, identity, trauma, resilience, and disclosure, remain crucial to the psychological wellbeing of individuals and communities. For psychologists and mental health practitioners, these challenges highlight the fundamental social and emotional aspects of living with HIV. Thus, the involvement of mental health practitioners is critical in supporting holistic care treatment of those living with HIV/AIDS.
While a full month is not officially designated to HIV/AIDS awareness, the Division of Research and Methodology (DRM) encourages its members to continue advancing psychological assistance, social action, and community involvement. Ending AIDS is not only a biomedical challenge – it’s a psychosocial one.
South Africa must continue to build a future where all HIV-positive people live healthy and empowered lives by working together!
References
Government of South Africa. (2025). World AIDS Day 2025. https://www.gov.za
Human Sciences Research Council. (2023a). SABSSM VI: Progress and disparities in South Africa’s HIV epidemic.
Human Sciences Research Council. (2023b). Turning the tide: Trends in HIV prevalence, prevention and treatment.
Human Sciences Research Council. (2023c). SABSSM VI full report – HIV indicators.
SECTION27. (2024). One in four people with HIV not on treatment. https://section27.org.za
World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. (2025). South Africa launches 1.1 million HIV treatment campaign. https://www.afro.who.int
Compiled by: Vusi Mthimkhulu
DRM Member