An introduction to the Interdepartmental Committee on HIV and AIDS (IDC)

History of the IDC

The Interdepartmental Committee on HIV and AIDS was established in October 1997 on initiative of the Dr NC Dlamini-Zuma, the then Minster of Health. The IDC was set up as a mechanism to facilitate and strengthen the response to HIV and AIDS by government departments at all levels. The committee meets monthly since February 1998.

Mandate

The Mandate of the IDC is described in the HIV and AIDS & STD Strategic Plan for South Africa:

• To review government HIV and AIDS programmes
• To facilitate the development of HIV and AIDS workplace policies
• To ensure that all government departments allocate financial resources to HIV and AIDS
• To develop minimum HIV and AIDS Programmes for all government departments

Composition

IDC members are the HIV and AIDS coordinators of national government departments. To date most departments allocate this function to mid-level officials with expertise in the field of human resources or social services. IDC members tend to be practitioners, not managers.

How the IDC is organised

The committee is led by two chairpersons which are elected amongst its midst. The Department of Health provides the secretariat and funds all IDC operations. The IDC sets its priorities in an annual planning workshop. Chairpersons and secretariat jointly constitute the steering committee. The steering committee on a monthly basis reviews the progress made by the committee and ensures that the IDC meets the needs of its members.

The IDC meetings

The monthly IDC meetings form the heart of the IDC operations. Specific projects are referred to IDC task teams. In IDC meetings:

• Task teams are elected and held accountable
• Interdepartmental campaigns are planned and monitored
• Departmental HIV and AIDS programmes are presented for peer review
• IDC meetings serve as a platform for the exchange of information and resources

Supplementary Activities

In accordance with the IDC operational plan there are a range of follow-on activities and projects. These include:

• Identification of training needs and provision of training
• Implementation of interdepartmental HIV and AIDS campaigns
• Interdepartmental advocacy
• Monitoring and reporting on departmental HIV and AIDS programmes
• Policy and programme research
• Representation at and support to initiatives of external stakeholders
• Dedicated support initiatives tailored to the specific needs of specific departments
• Practical networking, resource sharing and joint projects between departments

Examples of IDC Initiatives

These are just some of the IDC initiatives from the IDC operational Plan of 2003/04:

• Capacity Building: To conduct a training audit and the development of a capacity building programme
• Four public awareness campaigns: STI week, TB Day, Candle Light Memorial, World AIDS Day
• Advocacy: The "Commitment Campaign" is an IDC project that celebrates government's role in the Partnership Against HIV and AIDS.
• Promotion & Marketing: Improve stakeholder relations, develop promotional material, and exhibit at the SA AIDS Conference.
• External evaluation of the IDC

The IDC Secretariat

An active committee generates work and needs administration. This is the task of the IDC secretariat situated in the Department of Health. The secretariat is the nodal point of Information. Its role is larger than facilitating the functioning of the IDC. The secretariat is linked to an interdepartmental support programme that aims to service a wide spectrum of needs identified at the IDC.

Power and Authority

The IDC has no formal power. Its influence is based on a broad principle support from strategic structures such as the Social Cluster forum of Directors-General and the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

Accountability

IDC members are accountable to the departments that they represent. Interdepartmental initiatives that are funded by the Department of Health require the approval of the health department. The IDC reports twice a year to the Social Cluster and submits once a year a report to the Deputy President in his capacity as Chair Person of SANAC.

Links between the IDC and the DPSA Impact and Action Project

In the year 2000 the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) established the "Impact and Action Project", a programme to prepare the public service for managing the impact of HIV and AIDS on the workplace. Whilst the strategies of the IDC and the Impact and Action Project differ, the objectives of these two initiatives overlap. IDC has patronised supports and participates in Impact and Action Project initiatives.

For more Information, please contact the IDC Secretariat

Tel.: 012 - 312 0051
Fax: 012 - 312 3185
E-mail: kniggn@health.gov.za