UNAIDS [to 14 May 2016]
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/

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13 May 2016
South Africa takes bold step to provide HIV treatment for all
Antiretroviral therapy to be offered to all people living with HIV as soon as possible after HIV-positive diagnosis
GENEVA, 13 May 2016—The Government of South Africa has announced a major policy shift that will move the world faster towards the global 90–90–90 treatment target. On 10 May 2016, the South African Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, announced in his Health Budget Vote Speech to the Parliament of South Africa that the country will implement a new evidence-based policy of offering HIV treatment to all people living with HIV by September 2016. This ground-breaking announcement brings South Africa, which already has the world’s largest HIV treatment programme, in line with the latest World Health Organization guidelines on HIV treatment. South Africa is among the first countries in Africa to formally adopt this policy.

South Africa already encourages everyone who is HIV-negative or who does not know their HIV status to be tested for HIV at least once a year. However, instead of having to undergo an additional test of the immune system (the CD4 cell count) to determine eligibility for treatment, people who are diagnosed HIV-positive will be offered HIV treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis.

“South Africa takes another bold step towards ending its AIDS epidemic by 2030, once again demonstrating that scientific evidence, paired with political will, saves lives,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé…