People who have been in life-threatening situations will tell you that one should never turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. In fact, it is believed that when you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it head-on without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half.
Today we are tackling the HIV and AIDS monster head-on not as individuals or small groupings, but as a united force. Mayors, councillors, officials, government departments and non-governmental organisations, business, traditional healing practitioners, researchers - we are all here today to mobilise against this disease and its devastating consequences.
HIV and AIDS is reversing the progress and development in our province and country. The virus spreads its mortifying tentacles beyond those directly affected. It has severe consequences for our country and continent. It is affecting every sector, especially our children. Therefore it is critical for all spheres of government and civil society to share knowledge, skills and experience to strengthen our response to the pandemic. We cannot afford to do less.
At a World Bank conference co-hosted by the South African Treasury in Cape Town last year it was reported that children, who live in communities with an HIV prevalence rate of 10 percent or more have half a year of schooling less than children in other communities.
It was also said that children who lose one or both parents to HIV and AIDS are less likely to remain in school and complete their education than other children. Older children have a greater chance of quitting when one of the parents dies or gets sick. Due to their age, these children are more likely to become the designated person to take over the tasks of the missing or sick parent.
KwaZulu-Natal has the highest percentage of two to 18-year olds who are orphaned. AIDS orphans often have to leave school prematurely because of the financial constraints that HIV and AIDS cause. Once a household member develops AIDS, increased medical and other costs, such as transport to and from health services, occur simultaneously with reduced capacity to work, creating a double economic burden. Members, who would otherwise be able to earn or perform household and family maintenance, will spend their time caring for the person with AIDS. Due to high medical bills and the costs of funerals the remaining parent is less likely to keep the children in school simply because he or she cannot afford to do so.
Studies have suggested that young people with little or no education may be more likely to contract HIV than those who have completed their primary education. Education helps to prevent HIV. According to an Oxfam International report it is estimated that if all children worldwide received a complete primary education, seven million cases of HIV could be prevented over the next ten years.
What a terrible trap for our province and country to be caught in losing our much needed education! The education we need to wipe out inequalities and to create a better life for all! Economic growth and flourishing societies need educated and skilled people.
Not only children of infected parents are affected. Teachers, who are affected by HIV and AIDS, are likely to take increasing periods of time off work. Those with sick families may also take time off to attend funerals or to care for sick or dying relatives and further absenteeism may result from the psychological effects of the epidemic.
In our schools and workplaces HIV and AIDS dramatically set back economic and social progress, as the majority of people living with HIV in our province are in the prime of their working lives. Increased absenteeism squeezes productivity, adds costs, diverts productive resources and depletes skills.
As a result government income also declines as tax revenues fall. Governments are furthermore forced to increase their spending on healthcare as a result of the AIDS pandemic and in the process often neglect other vital areas of health care because of lack of adequate funding.
What can we do as a nation?
We need to be people driven, working together in a coordinated, cooperative way.
We need to cut off the tentacles of this disease one by one in each corner of the province.
As we all realise now, HIV and AIDS cannot be fought by professionals alone. Nor can national and provincial government fight this battle alone. We need to confront it as a united front only then can we reduce the danger by half. And we mean it we literally want to reduce new HIV infections by 50 percent by 2011.
Government also aims to provide a package of treatment care and support to at least 80 percent of HIV infected people. But we have to work together to implement this comprehensive plan, which is spelled out in the five-year KwaZulu-Natal Provincial HIV and AIDS and STI strategic plan. This strategic plan was released in 2007 and is in line with the national plan, to which President Jacob Zuma referred in his State of the Nation Address earlier this year.
The strategic plan has a multi-pronged approach and has been developed within the context of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) and is aligned to the current HIV and AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) national strategic plan. It has prioritised the following areas in its vision of a KwaZulu-Natal that is free of new HIV infections and where all infected and affected enjoy a high quality of life:
* prevention
* treatment, care and support
* management, monitoring, research, and surveillance of the response
* promotion of human rights, access to justice and an enabling environment.
As I have mentioned the complexity of the epidemic requires military precision if we want to kill the monster. There are many foot soldiers with very good intentions but we have to ensure that resources are equitably distributed to ensure that the fight is taken to all corners of our province. The provincial strategic plan consolidates the fight through all three spheres of government, national, provincial and local, as well as faith-based and community based organisations, business, traditional health practitioners and researchers.
A number of provincial departments are involved in the external response programmes, namely, the Departments of Health; Local Government and Traditional Affairs; Education; Social Development and Human Settlements. These departments offer services based on their mandates.
All programmes go through one AIDS coordinating authority, based in the Office of the Premier. This chief directorate also provides readily available coordination and support through the districts and local AIDS councils. District councils play a significant role in coordinating, mainstreaming and aligning all district municipal services. According to the 2008 National Antenatal
Sentinel HIV and Syphilis Prevalence survey, released by the national Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal has consistently recorded the highest prevalence of HIV-infection among 15 to 49 year old pregnant women in 2008 with 38.7 percent, compared to the national average of 29 percent.
The Umgungundlovu district recorded the highest prevalence (45.7 percent) among all districts. In reality this means that almost every second pregnant woman in the district is HIV positive. It is clear that despite the great work by many people and institutions efforts need to be streamlined and coordinated. This is exactly what the Umgugundlovu District AIDS Council intends to do. We want to commend the mayor and other role players for getting this council off the ground.
Currently some municipalities and wards are over-serviced, while others get very little assistance. The district council is best placed to ensure effective collaboration and coordination of activities and resources. It is close to the communities and engages a cross section of target groups, ranging from traditional healers to youth groups. It also works with communities in a participatory way through community HIV and AIDS committees established at ward-level.
The district council will provide much needed information on the impact of the district’s interventions with regard to HIV and AIDS. Leadership will be provided by the mayor, who will represent the district at the provincial AIDS council. By 2011 all sectors must be reporting to the provincial AIDS council on a quarterly basis. More regular dialogue will build consistent, united efforts in fighting AIDS and HIV. Minister Motsoaledi also pointed out the need to report on HIV prevalence distribution by geographic area in assisting government to better target our interventions.
Crucial to the success of the district AIDS council is representing all stakeholders (government, the private sector and civil society). They say the greatest pain in life is not to die, but to be ignored. Government can provide the basics but not always the social support due to financial constraints. We are most grateful to our social partners, who are key in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
They literally help people out of bed and back on their feet by getting them to hospital for treatment. They teach them to take antiretroviral medication and to manage their diet. They also assist them to apply for government support grants.
There are many positive stories about people living with AIDS, who have turned the death sentence around to a disease that can be managed. They did not do it on their own.
If we all work together, we can build caring communities and face the monster head on, for the sake of all our people and especially for the sake of our children.
Issued by: Department of Finance, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
8 October 2009
Source: Department of Finance, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government (http://www.kzntreasury.gov.za)
