Implementation of the Comprehensive Plan on Prevention Treatment and Care of HIV and AIDS: Fact sheet

23 November 2005

In commemorating World AIDS Day government reiterates that because there is still no known cure for aids, prevention remains the core response.

The Government's comprehensive HIV and AIDS programme for prevention, treatment and care is one of the largest in the world. The HIV and AIDS budget allocation increased from R30m in 1994 to over R3-billion in 2005/06.

In his report to the 2003 United Nations (UN) General Assembly Special Session on AIDS, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan commended South Africa for tripling its resource allocation for HlV and AIDS programmes since the adoption of the UN Declaration of Commitment on HlV and AIDS in 2001.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) progress report on the expansion of AIDS treatment released in June, 2005, notes that “South Africa has committed US$1 billion over the next three years to scaling up Antiretroviral Treatment, by far the largest budget allocation of any low- or middle-income country.”

These resources help make and impact in combating AIDS:

Prevention

Very high levels of awareness; and stable levels of prevalence.
Lifeskills education with trained teachers in almost every school.
Behaviour changes attributable to secondary abstinence amongst females up from 13.9% in 2002 to 20% in 2005; and condom use amongst those with multiple partners increasing from 48.6% in 2002 to 79.1% in 2005.
Public health sector male condom distribution that has increased from 270 million in 2003 to 346 million in 2004; and female condom distribution that rose from 1,3 to 2,6 million during the same period.
Almost universal access (97%) to condoms, according to the 2005 Behaviour and Communication survey, with government hospitals and clinics being the main source of availability.
A programme for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), with 3 000 facilities and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) available in almost all hospitals and trauma centres for sexual assault survivors.

Nutrition

Nutrition remains a critical element for all communities and especially those living with HIV and AIDS.
Nutritional supplements are provided to those who need them, as part of the comprehensive response to HIV and AIDS, as a complement to appropriate forms of treatment.
Some 329 000 people have accessed this service since April 2004. R10 million was made available for purchasing nutrition supplements in the 2004/05 financial year.

Testing and Treatment

199 public health facilities that now provide HIV and AIDS related services, including antiretroviral drugs. These facilities are found in all the country's 53 districts and cover at least 62% of local municipalities.
85 000 people enrolled for ARV treatment in the public health sector by September 2005 – and more than R3,4 billion allocated for procurement of antiretroviral drugs for the period to the end of 2007.
Increase in people tested from 511 843 in 2003/04 to 1 019 476 during 20004/05

Care and support

Support and care for those affected by HIV and AIDS is expanding, through increased social grant registration and increases in the grants, as well as expanding home- and community-based care programmes.
A total of 25 034 home-based care trainees (including VCT lay counsellors) have been or are being trained, with a Regional Training Centre in Eastern Cape and other training done by NGOs.
The Khomanani communication campaign continues to reach out to communities through its radio, road shows and television advertisements.

Human resources and health system

Infrastructure to support and sustain counselling, testing, care and treatment across the country.
A doubling of health facilities providing voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) from 1 500 in 2002/03 to 3 686 in 2004/05. The number of people counselled for testing in public sector rose from 691 000 in 2002/03 to 1 319 009 in 2004/05.
Over 1 060 health professionals recruited to support the programme.
7 600 health professionals trained in management, care and treatment of HIV and AIDS.
61 088 Community Care givers of whom 25 034 are receiving stipends.
Government is improving working conditions so it can recruit and retain more health professionals. This includes a scarce skills allowance for certain categories of health professionals (doctors, pharmacists and specialist nurses) and a rural allowance for health professionals working in less developed parts of the country. This is in addition to steadily improving salary packages.

Research

Government supports research on development of vaccines and other prevention technologies
Government is also investing in research on other forms of treatment including traditional medicines that have potential to alleviate symptoms associated with AIDS.

A partnership of hope

Critical to implementation is an active partnership of all of society with government. This partnership is embodied in the South Africa National AIDS Council (SANAC) and expressed in action which sees government, communities, about 20 sectors of society and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working together to implement all aspects of the comprehensive plan. Government programmes are complemented by private sector, NGO and civil society initiatives.

THERE IS HOPE

TOGETHER IN PARTNERSHIP WE CAN OVERCOME HIV AND AIDS

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Last modified: 03 December 2008 09:18:44.