Several provinces throughout the country are launching their HIV Counselling and Testing campaign in line with the national launch by President Jacob Zuma and Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi in Katlehong last Sunday.
In line with the undertaking made by the Health Minister to involve other senior government leaders, a number of ministers and deputy ministers have been deployed to the provinces launching their campaigns today as part of wider social mobilisation and providing leadership in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Among the ministers and deputy ministers participating in the campaign launch today are: Minister Edna Molewa (participating in the Limpopo provincial launch), Minister Angie Motshekga (Mpumalanga launch), Deputy Minister Bathabile Dlamini (Free State), Minister Pravin Gordhan and Deputy Minister Yunus Carrim (KwaZulu-Natal launch).
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has expressed his joy in seeing provinces launch their campaigns today. The minister has also expressed his appreciation shown by various South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) sectors and leadership in making the launch of this campaign a reality.
The minister however still re-iterates his call to all South Africans to participate in this campaign by visiting their healthcare centres to be counselled and tested for HIV. "This is a battle that we have to fight. As a nation we have to do everything possible to make sure that we win the battle against HIV and AIDS. Counselling and testing is the first and important step in this battle," said the Health Minister. The HCT campaign aims to test 15 million for HIV between this month and June 2011.
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Tel: 012 312 0663
Cell: 079 517 3333
Issued by: Department of Health
30 April 2010
