30 November 2006
The World AIDS Day commemorative event will take place in KaNyamazane,
Nelspruit in Mpumalanga on 1 December. This event comes at time when both
government and civil society are working together to review and strengthen the
South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), whose work will be informed by the
National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections
(STIs) for 2007 to 2011 National Strategic Plan (NSP).
Our comprehensive HIV prevention plan is being reviewed and will be
implemented collectively with urgency and commitment. What makes the impact of
HIV and AIDS so severe in our region, amongst other the socio-economic factors,
includes unequal gender and sexual relations that put women at risk;
unprotected and unsafe sex, and drug abuse in our society.
Comprehensive behaviour change programmes, driven by accurate public
information about HIV and support services, that recognise and respond to these
drivers of HIV infection must be the cornerstone of our prevention efforts.
These challenges have added importance during the festive season when increased
violence and risky behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse, increases vulnerability
to HIV. Stigma and discrimination are barriers to HIV prevention, treatment and
care. We must, as a nation, begin to talk openly and honestly about the
pandemic in support of those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Parents,
schools, churches and communities have a responsibility to help us educate our
people, especially the youth.
We are pleased to report that the discussions between Government and our
partners in SANAC have been very positive and constructive. We have agreed
about the need to strengthen SANAC with a view to making it more effective. We
are even more excited about the fact that all SANAC members will be observing
World AIDS Day together as a sign that we have achieved the goal of working
together in the fight against HIV and AIDS. There is a greater level of
commitment to work together to finalise the five year strategic plan by March
2007.
The draft strategic plan has been submitted to all stakeholders for their
consideration and valuable contribution. The delay in finalising the plan was
necessitated by the need to ensure that the final plan enjoys the support of
all stakeholders before final approval. Government would like to express its
full confidence in the partnership with civil society and their commitment to
work tirelessly, with us to ensure that the plan is finalised by March
2007.
There has been significant progress in the implementation of the
comprehensive strategy on HIV and AIDS:
* more than 1,7 million have used the voluntary counselling and testing
services available in 4 172 clinics around the country in the last financial
year
* more than 380 million condoms are being distributed annually
* 86% of clinics are offering services to reduce the risk of mother to child
transmissions of HIV
* 273 centres are now offering antiretroviral (ARV) treatment to those who need
it
* 213 282 people now have access to ARVs. These numbers represents an average
of 11 000 patients who are joining the ARV treatment programme every month.
However, the need to scale up all aspects of the programme cannot be
underestimated. We still need to strengthen our messages on prevention, delayed
sexual debut and reduction of multiple and concurrent sexual partners.
Comprehensive behaviour change programmes that recognise and respond to the
various drivers of HIV infection are the cornerstone of prevention going
forward.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on HIV and AIDS, chaired by Deputy
President Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, has been reinvigorated as recommended by
Cabinet to strengthen the co-ordination of departments contributing to the
comprehensive programme, whose implementation is led by the Department of
Health. Constituted by the ministerial members of SANAC, it has assisted in the
SANAC processes and met on Monday this week to review preparations for World
AIDS Day.
Much progress can be reported on the restructuring of SANAC and renewal of
the national strategic plan. In its workshop of 31 October, SANAC agreed on the
outline of the high level structure for the new SANAC, and on sectors to be
constituted. Similarly on the national strategic plan 2007 to 2011, partners
agreed on the framework, resolving that details of the content of the plan
should be discussed in the first quarter of 2007.
On World AIDS Day SANAC will communicate to the country and its citizens,
the collaborative and co-operative spirit that has prevailed in the past
months. The partners will announce the agreed SANAC structure and the
broad framework of the NSP,
together with a call to
strengthen the National Partnership on AIDS. This day provides an
opportunity for SANAC to appeal to everyone in the country to work together to
reduce prevalence by taking responsibility and by joining in partnership in
turning the tide of the pandemic. Strong partnership and a common message will
reassure our communities that our comprehensive programme on treatment, care,
support, human rights, and nutrition will succeed.
Our sustained positive energy is critical to an effective SANAC with
functional programmes supported by all in government and civil society.
Enquiries:
Themba Maseko
083 645 0810
Issued by: The Presidency
30 November 2006
