With days to go before the new AIDS treatment policy comes into effect, health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi embarks on a nationwide tour to assess the readiness of the health sector to implement the new policy in line with the announcement by President Jacob Zuma on World AIDS Day last December.
As part of his tour, the health minister is meeting with various sectors of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) and hospital CEOs and clinical managers to get reports on progress made around preparing the public health sector for the implementation of the massive AIDS treatment programme.
On Wednesday 17 March, the health minister will be in Durban to meet with organisations of people living with AIDS and non-governmental organisation (NGOs) among others as part of finalising plans for the implementation for the implementation of the new treatment guidelines as well as preparing the ground for the massive voluntary counselling and testing campaign due to start next month.
The campaign has set a target of testing 15 million people for HIV by April 2011. Members of the media are invited to the Durban meetings scheduled to take place as follows:
Date: 17 March 2010
Time: 14h00
Venue: Southern Sun (Elangeni), Durban
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Tel: 012 312 0663
Cell: 079 517 3333
Issued by: Department of Health
16 March 2010
