S Selao: Traditional Health Practitioners Summit

26 February 2007

Members of the Traditional Health Practitioners' structures in the
province,
Representatives of the national Department of Health,
Members of the Provincial AIDS Council,
Delegates of various organisations and support groups,
Representatives of government departments,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen

Today marks an important day in the history of our country and particularly
of the Northern Cape as we open this very important summit. The historical
significance of this gathering may not even be evident to those of us who are
here but I am convinced that whoever comes after, will praise your boldness and
vision for saving our heritage in the form of traditional medicine.

Furthermore, the government of South Africa is a strong believer that no
single sector, ministry, department or organisation can in isolation be
responsible for addressing HIV and AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
and tuberculosis (TB) challenges. And as a country and a province we can only
succeed if we share resources, our knowledge and our spirit of willingness to
work together.

In this context, traditional healers occupy a strategic position in terms of
discussing prevention, treatment and care programmes. The respect they command
within their communities should be seen as a vital communication resource that
can be tapped and utilised as a key to the containment of the HIV and AIDS
epidemic.

The other role would be that of rendering family support and driving the
adherence to both the anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and TB treatment
programmes. I am thus sure that you will agree with me that our province's
efforts to curb the spread of the number of diseases, in particular HIV and
AIDS and TB, are more evident with this summit.

And with the theme for this summit being: "Lighting the path for a brighter
future," I am further moved to say that the next two days should be viewed as a
concrete expression of our collective commitment, that together we can, and
must, accept the responsibility to address this pandemic.

The Provincial Summit in many ways is a celebration and a pathfinder. We
have come together in a manner that does not delegate only to conventional
experts the process of finding solutions but rather to say we are seeking
solutions.

This, because when the very survival of our nation or family is at stake, we
are compelled to abandon our trivial pursuits and put shoulder to the wheel and
work together to bring about change.

You will remember that at the African Traditional Medicine Conference that
was held during March 2004 in Johannesburg, the key focus was to ensure
stakeholders were working together to Improve Healthcare Service packages and
you also went further to address issues affecting the country.

And at the same conference, the voices of those who carry the greatest
burden of HIV infection, the people of the developing areas and our province in
particular, were heard. Similarly, this Summit should offer the provincial
leadership, experts and laypeople, educated and uneducated, the opportunity to
attain an understanding of the Traditional Health Practitioners role. The
Summit should ensure that government and the Traditional Health Practitioners
unite in the efforts to curb the spread of HIV, AIDS and TB.

The benefits to be derived from the free exchange of views, knowledge and
experiences by people from divergent backgrounds also cannot be over-emphasised
and we must make merry of the fact that today we are reaching out to each other
across boundaries of religion, race or class.

HIV, AIDS and TB pose such a massive threat to humanity that we should
explore every possible avenue if we are to find a lasting solution. We must
therefore never commit the mistake of closing our minds to possible solutions
or assuming that certain sections of society have nothing to contribute; that
would be suicidal.

As we proceed in our endeavour to curb this pandemic, we must also have the
courage to challenge conventional wisdom. While not doubting the sincerity or
commitments of each participating support, we must remain vigilant to what
could go wrong in a partnership such as this one.

The possibilities exist that:
* Academics may see traditional medicine as solely a research
opportunity.
* Religious organisations may come with the intention to preach the sin and
punishment doctrine, which in essence states that infected people are reaping
the rewards of their sinful behaviour.
* People living with AIDS may come with a sense of entitlement.
* All of us may come with prejudice against homosexuals, women, youth, and
people living with AIDS.
* Politicians may seek to make political capital out of this process and the
issue of HIV, AIDS and TB may be turned into a political football.
* The unemployed may see this as an opportunity to make a living.
* Business may see this process as a trade opportunity.
* Community-based organisations may claim to be sole custodians of what
constitutes community interest.
* The learned may not give enough weight to the views of those without
significant formal education.
* And traditional healers may argue that they can cure AIDS.

In the past, noble attempts to better our lives were derailed by such
perceptions. It is therefore important to bring all these issues to the fore so
that we can constantly check ourselves against our own prejudices. And although
the struggle to find a cure continues every minute of every day, there is
currently no cure for HIV and AIDS and it is cruel to falsely raise the
expectations of our people.

This collective, who constitutes all role players, must therefore
unequivocally say to them: "Tell no lies, do not claim easy victories!" And
from government's side, we will also do whatever it takes to ensure that the
lives and health of our people are not compromised. As an essential part of the
campaign against HIV, AIDS and TB, the government is actively focusing on the
elimination of poverty, which in turn contributes to the epidemic.

Since 1998, this province has radically deepened its campaign. It has done
this in many ways, including the establishment of three powerful
structures.

* a Ministerial Task Force, chaired by the Premier, to ensure a co-ordinated
government response
* a "Partnership against AIDS", to ensure co-ordinate action by civil society
including business, the labour movement, youth and the religious
community
* the Provincial Aids Council, also chaired by the Premier, which brings
together government and civil society.

It is up to you to ensure that you participate in these structures and I do
believe that all of us gathered here today, will reaffirm the belief that the
power to defeat HIV, AIDS and TB exists in the nature of the partnerships we
establish.

As partners, united under the banner of the Northern Cape Traditional Health
Practitioners, we say: "HIV, AIDS and TB is not someone else's problem. It is
my problem. It is your problem. My action counts. Your actions count." As
partners we will therefore continue to spread the message of prevention, care
and support for those infected and affected.

Furthermore, I will advocate for the acceptance of Traditional Health
Practitioners within our province, as I have full confidence in the ability of
each and every one of you to assist in pulling our province and country out of
the realms of death that we find ourselves in.

We know there are many challenges. For instance, the nature of HIV, AIDS and
TB in our province poses specific challenges because of the level of
unemployment and the lack of income of Traditional Health Practitioners. But we
are confident that your collective wisdom and expertise will help address the
problems of HIV, AIDS and TB in our province.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me now emphasise that the Northern Cape and the
districts in particular, need to map out their own responses within the given
guidelines of our five year strategic document, namely the National Strategic
Plan for HIV, AIDS and STIs 2007-2011, which is currently being finalised.

I encourage you not to see this task as drudgery but rather as a critical
aspect of which the solutions will bring relief to our people. This will form
the extended basis of our attack and will guide us towards stabilising the HIV
incidence rate to less than 20%, as outlined in the Department's Vision
2014.

In conclusion then, let us not leave this room by simply saying that this
was a successful Summit, but let us also reaffirm the commitment within our
hearts, and through our actions and words. In saying that we want to see a
drastic change with regards to the epidemic, we will be changing our attitudes
towards those infected and affected. In so doing, we will extend our hands in
curbing the impact of the epidemic.

We must therefore utilise this summit to ensure that we have fruitful
discussions. We must break down barriers and ensure that we integrate
Traditional Health Practitioners in the pursuit of the common good.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Health, Northern Cape Provincial Government
26 February 2007