29 November 2006
On Friday, December 01, South Africa will join the rest of the international community in observing the World AIDS Day under the theme: "Stop HIV and AIDS. Keep the promise"
World AIDS Day is a very important occasion in our daily struggle to prevent the spread of HIV infection and reduce the impact of AIDS in our society. We urge all South Africans to participate in the activities planned by government and various other organizations to observe this day in various parts of the country.
This day is of particular importance to us in the Department of Health because of at least two major processes that we are participating in to enhance our country's response to HIV and AIDS.
We have a process to revise the Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS and STIs. The revised Strategic Plan for 2007-2011 will guide the country's response to HIV and AIDS in a manner that ensures continuity of the current strategies while introducing additional interventions required to keep up with recent advances in knowledge.
There is also a process to review the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) to ensure that this structure becomes a true expression of our multi-sectoral response to HIV and AIDS.
The Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and my colleagues in the Inter-Ministerial Committee on HIV and AIDS will elaborate on these processes at the national AIDS event that will be held at KwaNyamazane Stadium in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga on Friday.
I will not be able to attend this event. However, I am looking forward to participating in the further work that needs to be done from early next year to ensure the success and sustainability of these two very important processes.
In line with the theme for this year, we are keeping our promise as the South African Department of Health to increasing access to HIV and AIDS prevention, care and treatment services.
Our prevention campaigns are being enhanced to strengthen the promotion of abstinence and being faithful. More than 1,7 million people have used the voluntary counselling and testing services available in 4172 clinics in the last financial year. More than 380 million condoms are being distributed annually. Services to reduce the risk of mother to child transmission of HIV are available in all hospitals and 86% of clinics
In the area of treatment, care and support, our nutritional support programme has benefited more than 480 000 people. Treatment of opportunistic infections which is critical in the management of HIV and AIDS is available in most hospitals and clinics. Free TB test and treatment is available at hospitals and clinics and TB is curable even in the presence of HIV and AIDS.
Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is now available at 273 hospitals and clinics spread across the country for patients with a CD4 count of 200 or below. An average of 11 000 patients are joining the ART programme every month adding up to 213 828 adults and children who have been put on the programme by end of September 2006.
During this World AIDS Day, let us commit ourselves as the people of South Africa to build on the advances made thus far in responding to HIV and AIDS.
As the Ministry and the Department of Health, we commit to intensifying our efforts to ensure that all of us progressively realize the right of access to all HIV and AIDS prevention, care and treatment services.
Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang Minister of Health