The KwaZulu-Natal Health Department has raised concern over the high number of people living with HIV who are defaulting on their treatment.
It says more than 200 000 HIV-positive people in the province are not taking their medication.
The National Health Department in collaboration with the South African National AIDS Council have launched the Close the Gap campaign.
The aim is to get 1.5 million people back on treatment.
During a meeting of the Provincial Council on AIDS, Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said those were defaulting on treatment included teenagers who were born with the virus.