Prof Lufuno Makhado, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences
When the December 2025 issue of HIV Nursing Matters reached clinics, universities, and health offices across South Africa, one name stood out on its opening pages: Prof Lufuno Makhado, Full Professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Venda. As the Guest Editor of this special edition, themed “Towards Inclusive HIV Care,” Prof Makhado not only guided the intellectual direction of the publication but also infused it with a sense of compassion, urgency, and vision.
This issue arrived at a time when the country’s HIV landscape was facing profound challenges. International funding cuts, system-wide pressures, and shifting national priorities placed extraordinary demands on healthcare workers, especially nurses, who remain the heartbeat of HIV service delivery. In the midst of these complexities, Prof Makhado’s voice emerged as one that both acknowledged these realities and offered a hopeful, grounded path forward.
In his editorial, Prof Makhado paints a poignant portrait of 2025: a year of uncertainty, yet also one of courage. He writes about nurses as the essential “bridge between policy and people,” reminding readers that inclusive HIV care is not merely a framework; it is lived daily in clinics, community outreach sites, mobile vans, and youth corners where individuals seek dignity and healing. He invites readers to see inclusion not through the narrow lens of service access, but through the broader understanding of belonging: ensuring that every person, young or old, stable in care or returning after interruption, from key populations or general communities, feels welcomed, supported, and empowered. This narrative tone sets the stage for a collection of articles that echo empathy, celebrate resilience, and highlight innovation in HIV care. Through this editorial leadership, Prof Makhado shaped the issue’s intellectual essence and extended the University of Venda’s influence into national policy conversations, reinforcing its role as a rising hub of public health expertise.
Dr Mukovhe Rammela, 2025 PhD in Public Health Graduate
Beyond his editorial duties, Prof Makhado also contributed scholarly work to the issue, this time alongside his PhD student, Dr Mukovhe Rammela. Their collaborative article examines one of the most pressing challenges of the year: how the termination of key USAID-funded programmes affected youth HIV services across the country, and what sustainable solutions may look like in the future. Their piece does something particularly powerful as it blends policy analysis with grounded community realities, offering practical guidance on how health systems can adapt even when external funding falters. In doing so, it elevates the voices of young people, highlights the importance of peer-led models, and calls for innovation rooted in empathy and sustainability. For the University of Venda, this co-authored publication is more than an academic milestone. It is a demonstration of the institution’s growing research culture, where mentorship is purposeful and postgraduate training is directly linked to national challenges. Dr Rammela’s contribution signals the emergence of a new generation of HIV scholars shaped under Prof Makhado’s guidance.
Prof Makhado’s involvement in HIV Nursing Matters does more than contribute to scholarly discourse; it significantly raises the visibility of the University of Venda in the national health arena. HIV Nursing Matters is produced by the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, a leading voice in HIV clinical practice, policy, and continuing professional development. Being trusted as Guest Editor highlights Prof Makhado’s stature and positions the University of Venda as an institution deeply connected to national health leadership. Situated in Limpopo, the University of Venda continues to challenge the misconception that high-impact research is the exclusive domain of metropolitan institutions. Through Prof Makhado’s work, the University of Venda demonstrates how grounded, community-centred research can influence national strategies and shape conversations about inclusive health systems. Visibility in a publication distributed across South Africa opens doors, facilitating collaborations with national departments and NGOs, partnerships with global health institutions, and attracting prospective postgraduate students eager to work with leaders like Prof Makhado. His contribution signals that the University of Venda is not a passive observer in the national HIV response; it is an active, innovative partner.
Perhaps the most memorable impact of Prof Makhado’s involvement is the spirit that is captured throughout the edition. His editorial argues that “re-engagement in HIV care is not a failure — it is an act of bravery,” and that health systems must treat returning clients with empathy rather than judgment. His reflections on the emotional toll borne by nurses and the need for psychosocial support highlight his deep understanding of human-centred care. He reminds us that inclusive HIV care is not just about statistics, but about the relationships that support them. It is about meeting people where they are, listening without assumption, and responding with compassion. This message echoes across articles in the issue from youth-focused programmes to advanced HIV disease management, weaving a shared narrative of resilience and collective responsibility.
Prof Makhado’s contributions to this national publication illustrate the kind of leadership South Africa needs as it marches toward its 2030 HIV goals. Through his scholarship, mentorship, editorial direction, and community-based orientation, he demonstrates how academic excellence and social responsibility can merge to create meaningful change. For the University of Venda, his achievements are a source of pride, a testament to an institution committed to producing knowledge that uplifts society and responds to the needs of its communities. For readers of HIV Nursing Matters, his voice serves as both a guide and an invitation: to imagine an HIV response that is not only clinically sound but deeply humane.
You can access the HIV Nursing Matters Volume 21 at: https://sahivsoc.org/Subheader/Index/hiv-nursing-matters-
Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding and Communication University of Venda
Tel: 082 868 2218 / 082 868 1811
