The Office of the Premier and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Council on AIDS is commemorating World AIDS Day (WAD) on a different note; provincial activities are set to take place on Wednesday, 1 December 2010 to heighten HIV and AIDS awareness. Cabinet leaders, including MEC’s, Mayors and Councilors will be hosting a WAD event in select ward-based venues in each of the 10 Districts and one Metro of the province, themed: “We are Responsible”.
“The time for stigmatisation is long gone. KZN remains the province with the highest HIV prevalence in South Africa. The growth trend is not changing. The increase of HIV infections is of grave concern to all of us. Once again our province has experienced an increase in HIV prevalence. According to UNAIDS, in the adult ages of 15 – 49, HIV prevalence is estimated at 25%. A prevalence rate of 25% is significant. Government is committed to stepping-up the fight against HIV and TB – all we need now is for communities to come on board and do all they can to contribute to the war against HIV and TB,” said Dr. Zweli Mkhize, Premier of KwaZulu-Natal province.
All 10 Districts and one Metro will be participating in this event in order to ensure unified, widespread support for the campaign as a deliberate effort to unify communities and leaders around efforts to heighten awareness.
KwaZulu-Natal is the only Province in the country, with five Districts indicating HIV prevalence amongst pregnant women at 40% and above, according to the Department of Health 2010 Antenatal Survey.Uthukela district, at 46.4% HIV prevalence amongst antenatal women leads the top five followed by: Ethekwini at 41.4%, Umgungundlovu - 40.9%, Ilembe - 40.6 and Ugu with 40.2% prevalence.
The remaining six districts indicate prevalence levels below 40%: Umkhanyakude has 39.7% prevalence, Uthungulu - 37.7%, Amajuba - 37.3%, Zululand - 36.7%, Sisonke 35.2% and Umzinyathi 28.2%.
Key approaches to KZN’s World AIDS Day commemoration events are the stance towards Decisive Leadership in KZN to defeat HIV and AIDS including TB, as well as the ward-based Healthy Lifestyle Campaign urging communities to:
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Abstain from sexual activity
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Delay sexual debut for young people
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Be faithful in relationships
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Use condoms
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Promote HIV Counseling and Testing campaign (HCT) and
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Encourage medical male circumcision (MMC) for men.
The HIV and AIDS pandemic presents tremendous challenges for the KZN province, hence the drive to compel every citizen to be responsible and test for HIV. Concerns about the indications of new HIV infections relate to understanding the main drivers leading to these increases.
The Premier, Dr Zweli Mkhize, concluded: “Each and every ward will need to create a structure to serve as a campaign vehicle to fight HIV & AIDS and TB - with an emphasis on a healthy lifestyle. We are calling on all leaders to support and drive these programmes in their respective wards and districts. With full cooperation from ALL we can achieve success in our goal to drive down HIV and AIDS prevalence in the province”.
Note to the editor:
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Council on AIDS was first established in January 2006 with the purpose of providing leadership and strategy to drive a coordinated and comprehensive HIV and AIDS response in the province. It is accountable to the Office of the Premier within the KZN Provincial Government. Part of its leadership mandate is to co-ordinate and manage the provincial response to HIV and AIDS to mitigate and reverse the impact of HIV and AIDS on KwaZulu-Natal. The KZN Provincial Council on AIDS also operates as the Provincial counter part of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC).
Contact person:
Ndabezinhle Sibiya (Office of the Premier – KwaZulu-Natal)
Cell: 082 375 4742
E-mail: sibiyand@premier.kzntl.gov.za and ndabezinhle@yahoo.com
