Frequently asked questions

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that gets into the body and attacks the immune system.

If the immune system of an HIV-positive person weakens, their body can get infections like pneumonia, diarrhoea, meningitis or very bad thrush. This is called AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Today’s medicines (antiretroviral treatment) are excellent. ART (or ARVs) stops HIV from progressing, helping people to live normal, healthy lives.

HIV is mainly passed through unprotected sex (without a condom) or sharing needles. It can also pass from a mom to her baby during birth or through breastfeeding.

No, you can’t get HIV from kissing or hugging. HIV is mainly spread through blood, certain body fluids, or having sex without protection.

Some people don’t have symptoms at first, but others might feel tired, experience flu-like symptoms, get sick easily, or lose weight. It’s best to get tested to know for sure.

Right now, there’s no cure. But there are medicines (ARVs) that help people with HIV live long, healthy lives. Taking these medicines exactly as prescribed is important.

Use condoms when you have sex, don’t share needles, take PrEP, consider getting a medical male circumcision if you are male, and get tested regularly. Knowing your status helps protect you and others.

Yes, many people with HIV have healthy families. With the right medical care, the risk of passing HIV to a partner or baby can be very low.

No, mosquitoes don’t spread HIV. HIV is mainly spread through specific body fluids during certain activities.

You can share food and drinks safely. HIV is not spread through casual contact like sharing knives and forks or plates.

Be open and honest. Share your feelings and encourage testing together. Knowing each other’s status helps you both stay healthy. If you are HIV positive and worried about how your partner will react, make sure you are in a safe place where someone else can assist you if necessary.

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is a medicine that HIV-negative people can take to prevent getting HIV. PrEP is a pill that is taken daily – and it’s highly effective for preventing HIV when taken as prescribed.

Yes, if you take PrEP every day, it will stop you from getting HIV.

Sometimes PrEP can cause a slight stomach ache, headache, or make you feel sick. Rarely, it might affect your kidneys. Talk to your health worker if you’re worried.

Just take one pill every day. That’s it! After two weeks of taking it, you are protected for as long as you keep taking it.

Take PrEP for as long as you are at risk of getting HIV. Your health worker will help you decide how long that is.

Condoms prevent pregnancy and many sexually transmitted infections. So, it is safer to continue to use condoms.

U=U stands for undetectable equals untransmittable. It means that if someone has an undetectable viral load, they cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partner. If a person takes their ARVs daily and exactly as prescribed, they can get their viral load down to undetectable levels.

HIV medicine can make one’s viral load so low that a test can’t detect it. This is called an undetectable viral load or viral suppression.