Govt pledge to intensify Aids battle
Veronica Mohapeloa
2 December 2004
Government on Wednesday, which fell on World AIDS Day, has expressed solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS, vowing to work with all structures of civil society to intensify all related elements of its campaign against the disease.
"Government wishes on this day to express its solidarity with those affected by HIV and AIDS; and it vows to intensify all elements of the campaign, working with structures of civil society," Cabinet said in a statement after its last meeting of the year.
Deputy President Jacob Zuma and some Cabinet members joined commemorative activities across the country on Wednesday, to show government's seriousness about dealing with this scourge, especially the need to ease the burden this has placed on women and children.
Cabinet said it noted the progress made in the comprehensive campaign against HIV and AIDS, including prevention and home-based care.
Noting some of the milestones, Cabinet said the
number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy had increased to just under 20 000 by the end of October.
According to the Department of Health, 19 500 people had received antiretroviral therapy by October, with treatment available in 50 of the country's 53 districts.
The department also said the number of people utilising Voluntary Counselling and Testing services had increased from 412 696 in 2002/2003 to 690 537 in 2003/2004.
The communication campaign on awareness and services has been intensified, which government said is reason for the stabilisation of the HIV infection rates in the country, particularly among the youth.
Addressing the national commemoration in Cape Town, on Wednesday, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said messages of prevention were "getting through".
She also announced that government would increase funding for NGOs and CBOs by R10-million to R50-million in the next financial year, to help these organisations support
government's work in this battle.
In line with this theme, Zuma said women emancipation continued to be paramount, as fear of physical, or emotional and psychological abuse by their partners made them vulnerable.
He said this fear was probably one of the factors making it difficult for women to insist on condom use to protect themselves from infection.
He said it was for this reason government was intensifying the fight against poverty, to improve the living conditions of people in an integrated and "comprehensive" manner.
Meanwhile, Cabinet announced the appointment of Thami Mseleku as the new Director-General for the Health Department with effect from January 2005.
Mseleku, who has been the head of the Education Department, replaces Ayanda Ntsaluba who left the department more than a year ago to head the Foreign Affairs Department.
At the same, KwaZulu-Natal Premier S'bu Ndebele and his provincial cabinet on Wednesday signed a pledge in the
legislature committing the province's government to fight against the scourge of HIV and AIDS.
The pledge was also signed by all 80 members of the legislature in a symbolic event marking World AIDS Day.
Addressing the house, Ndebele said his government commemorated this day in order to reaffirm its commitment to fighting HIV and AIDS.
Ndebele said KwaZulu-Natal had one of the fastest moving anti-retroviral programmes in terms of rollout of the treatment for eligible HIV-positive people.
"Today we have 45 hospitals accredited for the programme and we have 28 576 patients screened and 3 783 on treatment, of whom 220 are children", he said.
Ndebele said KwaZulu-Natal also had the largest prevention of mother-to-child-transmission programme.
"A total of 350 000 women have gone through the programme since June 2001," he said, adding that among his government's six provincial priorities was the formation of a Health and Social Support Cluster which
would look among others, at fighting poverty and protecting vulnerable groups in the society.
To this end, he said, various departments were working together to protect children.
"For example the departments of health, welfare, justice, safety and security have come together to develop what is known as Thuthuzela Centres.
"These centres will provide a one-stop centre for physically and emotionally abused women", he said.
He added that his province was committed to creating a safe environment for women, children and all vulnerable groups.
"We sign this pledge today to show our commitment as government to fighting all kinds of abuse", he said.
Source: BuaNews
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