Aids drug rollout gains momentum
Veronica Mohapeloa
26 November 2004
The number of South Africans receiving antiretroviral therapy at accredited public facilities increased from 11 250 at the end of August to 19 500 in October 2004, says Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.
The increase, she said in response to a question presented in Parliament, was part of the steady progress that the Department of Health was making in implementing the government's comprehensive HIV/Aids treatment and management plan.
The minister said her department was intensifying implementation of the plan, and that access to treatment was increasing gradually.
According to the plan, each of South Africa's 53 districts is to have at least one public service point offering care and treatment for people living with HIV/Aids.
So far, a total of 103 public health facilities across the country have been accredited and are providing treatment for people living with HIV/Aids, the minister said, while three pharmaco-vigilance
centres have been established to detect, assess and prevent adverse reaction to antiretroviral drugs.
"There is a centre at Medunsa (the Medical University of South Africa) which focuses on the use of antiretroviral drugs and traditional medicine among adolescents and adults with HIV and Aids", Tshabalala-Msimang told Parliament.
The second pharmaco-vigilance centre, based at Free State University, deals with the use of antiretroviral drugs among pregnant women and infants, while the University of Cape Town houses as a reference centre for adverse reaction to all types of medicines registered in the country.
At least 67% of public health clinics now provide voluntary counselling and testing services, the minister said, with the number of counselors exceeding 10 000 at the end of March 2004, and with HIV test kits widely available to ensure that people received test results immediately.
The number of people who used these services increased from 412 696 in
2002/03 to 690 537 in 2003/04.
Tshabalala-Msimang said that over R9.4-million had been spent on communication, including newspaper, radio and billboard advertising and the production of educational material to support the plan.
"We are strengthening the health system to ensure that quality health services are provided to all South Africans, including people living with HIV and Aids", she said.
"What is critical is that we should work together to create a supportive environment for people living with HIV and Aids and to assist those who are on treatment to take their medication correctly.
Source: BuaNews
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