KwaZulu-Natal, on World Aids Day, Umzinto Sports Ground
1 December 2006
Programme Director
Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature
Members of the Provincial Executive Council
Members of national Parliament who are with us today
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Mayors and Councillors of Local Government
Amakhosi present
Religious leaders
Heads of Department
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
People of the province
Let me quote a pledge we made to the people of KwaZulu-Natal during the
State of the Province in 2005: "Other major thrust in providing service to our
people is the provision of health services. Again, our challenges are daunting!
We must redouble our efforts in addressing the scourge of HIV and AIDS
pandemic."
Today, on 1 December we are commemorating the World AIDS Day and we remember
the pledge. This is an international day of action on HIV and AIDS. World AIDS
Day was established by the World Health Organisation in 1988 to focus attention
on the HIV and AIDS epidemic.
Observance of this day provides an opportunity for governments,
non-government organisations, churches, community organisations and individuals
to demonstrate the importance of the fight against HIV and AIDS pandemic.
Annually, our country joins other nations of the world, in commemorating
World AIDS Day. The province of KwaZulu-Natal is no exception. We are gathered
here today to say to our people, we are not going to bow down. We are going to
continue fighting until we arrest this dreadful pandemic.
Fighting for a healthier life
What is important for us is to ensure that what we do will bring about
long-term impact in terms of reducing the spread of HIV and mitigating its
impact. In order to achieve this, we need to address underlying factors and
forces that drive the epidemic such as poverty, unemployment, gender relations
etc. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, by its very nature,
plays an inspirational role in combating other underlying factors like gender
discrimination, child abuse, and violation of the rights of people living with
HIV and AIDS.
One of priorities of this provincial government is the implementation of
provincial comprehensive integrated response to HIV and AIDS. The co-ordination
and facilitation of the development and implementation of an integrated and
multi-sectoral Provincial HIV and AIDS Response Strategy happen under the
direct leadership of the Honourable Premier. The province has made significant
progress towards the implementation of the national comprehensive plan for
treatment, care and support of HIV and AIDS.
Major focus should be on preventing new infections. Voluntary counselling
and testing is one of the most important measures in the prevention of HIV
infection. The service is available at 100% provincial facilities (672 sites)
and over 57 non-medical sites. The intention of this programme is to encourage
every citizen to know their HIV status. Antenatal prevalence is on average 38%.
Training programmes are offered on an on-going basis to change those obstetric
practices that are risk factors for mother-to-child transmission.
The unfortunate consequences of HIV and AIDS are the rising number of
orphans and vulnerable children. Parents are suffering and some are dying.
Children have no one to support and look after them. They face the reality of
abuse and exploitation. Children without the guidance and protection of their
primary caregivers are often more vulnerable and at risk of becoming victims of
violence, exploitation, trafficking, discrimination or other abuses.
AIDS Council
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial AIDS Council will soon be in place. Members of
the public have been invited, through the Provincial Gazette and media adverts,
to nominate suitable individuals to represent various sectors and submit to the
Office of the Premier. The Premier will appoint suitable members to the Council
from the list of nominations. As we have said it before, HIV and AIDS cannot be
tackled by Government alone; a multi-sectoral approach is required.
Non-government sector organisations, business, faith-based, and community-based
organisations, affected and infected persons and ordinary citizens and
individuals have to play a significant role in arresting the spread of HIV and
AIDS. We believe that the provincial AIDS Council will ensure meaningful
contribution by civil society to our provincial HIV and AIDS response.
Meaningful partnerships should be forged and managed appropriately for the
benefit of all infected and affected. The mandate of the provincial AIDS
Council is in line with South African National AIDS Council which is under the
direct leadership of Deputy President.
The provincial government has also put the issue of employee wellness at the
top of its agenda. We are in a process of starting the Provincial Employee
Wellness Programme. The primary goal of the programme is to enhance the well
being of provincial government employees in line with the national guidelines
developed by the Department of Public Service and Administration by increasing
employees awareness of healthy lifestyle choices and health risks providing
support to employees in making healthy lifestyle choices assisting in the
development of supportive workplace environments in order to meet health
promotion goals.
Hands on approach
To commemorate the World AIDS Day this year, we decided to do something
different. We adopted a hands-on approach where myself, Honourable Speaker and
my colleagues in Executive Council and Members of Parliament, led different
teams and visited households who are hard-hit by the pandemic. The experiences
of this morning are painful. A household headed by a young girl, 15 years old,
is now mother, father, breadwinner, and everything to her siblings since they
lost their parents a couple of years ago is really something that we should not
fold our arms and watch as if we are watching a Hollywood movie.
What we should know is that HIV and AIDS is one of the biggest threats to
human life, prosperity, security and development. As government, we recommit
ourselves in dealing with the issues of HIV and AIDS and other related
illnesses, such as tuberculosis (TB) and sexually transmitted diseases (STIs),
decisively by "Strengthening of the provincial HIV and AIDS multi-sectoral
response."
Deepening of collaboration with all stakeholders
"Investing in monitoring, evaluation and research for continual evaluation
and improvement in the quality of care.
As we commemorate the World AIDS Day 2006 at Ugu, I affirm the district's
commitment in creating an enabling environment by establishing the Ugu District
AIDS Council. I would like to invite the Honourable Mayor Councillor S. Cele
and the members of the AIDS Council to come forward as I today officially
launch the Ugu District AIDS Council.
Before I conclude, I wish to remind us all that this is an important week in
our history. Tomorrow we will gather at Pietermaritzburg for the re-burial of
our hero, our freedom fighter, unifier of our people, Baba Moses Mabhida who
died in Maputo. His remains were brought back home from Mozambique last
week.
As we are commemorating the World AIDS Day, let us love one another, let us
love persons who are HIV and AIDS infected and affected, let us love our
children, let us love our orphans, let us love grandmothers who become carers,
let us love all.
December is the month of love. I therefore take this opportunity to wish you
and your families a happy festive season.
Masisukume Sakhe
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
1 December 2006
Source: SAPA
