During the Presidential Health Summit recently held in Johannesburg, SANAC Chairperson Deputy President David
Mabuza officially launched the ‘Cheka Impilo’, an accelerated national wellness campaign that will focus on testing and
treating people with HIV, TB, STIs and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
As part of the package of services for the Cheka Impilo campaign, there will be an increased focus on information, education, communication activities, HIV testing, accelerated distribution of condoms and the provision of pre and postexposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP).
Speaking during the launch, Deputy President Mabuza said a campaign of this magnitude will largely depend on coordinated
collaboration among all relevant stakeholders and structures in respect to planning, implementation and monitoring.
“We call upon all our social partners to join us in implementing this programme. As various stakeholders, we are committing
to take services to the people. Within 24 months, we must have found and put two million more people on ARVs,” Deputy
President Mabuza said.
The Deputy President also said that the public launch of the campaign will take place during the commemoration of World
AIDS Day on 1 December at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto, Gauteng.
Cheka Impilo campaign targets:
1. Find and put two million more people on antiretrovirals;
2. Find and put at least 80 000 more people with TB and drug- resistant TB on treatment;
3. Identify and treat thousands more with diabetes, hypertension and cancer
The Deputy President urged all South Africans to go out in their great numbers to get tested for HIV, screen for STIs, TB and
non-communicable diseases. Basically, Cheka Impilo encourages everyone to make healthy lifestyle choices and seek medical attention timeously so that the vision of a South Africa that is free from the burden of disease can be realised.