WATCH: Naomi Campbell urges women ‘don’t gamble with your life'

She was speaking the launch of the Durex, Red and The Global Fund campaign to prevent HIV and Aids, especially in women and young girls across the African continent. 

The campaign was launched in Rosebank ahead of the Word Aids Day on December 1. 

“Globally, 1000 young women are affected every day, so that is 7000 infections a week for a deadly virus that we don’t know how to really prevent.  How do we prevent it? We use our voices, we help one another, and we practice safe sex. We don’t let anyone pressure us even if you are in the heat of the moment and want to be with this person, you have to think about your future. Your health is your wealth and you don’t just want to destroy it for one night of passion. It’s not worth it,” Campbell said.

Through the campaign, over 20 countries will raise awareness through the purchase of Red Durex products and help fund programs which will be rolled out in South Africa. 

While South Africa has the largest antiretroviral treatment program and a strategic national plan to tackle HIV and Aids, it still has the highest rate of the epidemic in the world, with 7.2 million people from ages 15 to 49 years living with the virus in 2017. 

Campbell said the country could still improve its anti-HIV strategies. 

“Strategies like creating hubs, you can also have home groups and if you can get to one person to stop them from being reckless with their life, that is something to be proud of. There is an urgent need to expand prevention programs which puts the needs of young women and girls first, which is precisely what Red and Durex are doing by empowering young girls to speak up, ask questions, take charge against discrimination, violence and sexual abuse we can change the cause of this epidemic." 

Sexual and reproductive health and rights expert, Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, lamented the fact that the public health system is not adequately equipped to assist young women. 

“So, if you need services, health care or health information, most of us go online. Because even the billboards are about HIV and the health content you get in clinics are about HIV, but we are at a place where HIV is a chronic illness and you don’t have to die from it. I think the narrow views the system adopts when it comes to HIV treatment is partly part of the problem, we are not doing enough of affirming information, the information we give young people is over curated and it’s not reacting quick enough based on evidence and policy is also not reacting quick enough.” 

She added that the Department of Basic Education’s national policy, which was launched at the National Aids Conference last year, is far from being implemented.