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The African National Congress (ANC)
welcomes the progressive policy shift on HIV/AIDS as articulated today (1
December 2009) by President Jacob Zuma to mark World Aids Day. Not only does
the policy change portray the ANC-led Government as caring but it
demonstrates its commitment to effectively fight the pandemic.

We are happy
to see concrete steps to be undertaken by the Government, which come into
effect on April 2010. We particularly welcome the fact that:

· All children
under one year of age will get treatment if they test positive, not
determined by the level of CD cells. This will contribute significantly
towards the reduction of infant mortality over time.
· All patients with
both TB and HIV will get treatment with anti-retrovirals if their CD4 count
is 350 or less.
· TB and HIV/Aids will now be treated under one roof.
· All
pregnant HIV positive women with a CD4 count of 350 or with symptoms
regardless of CD4 count will have access to treatment. We believe that this
will go a long way to decrease the deaths of pregnant women who are HIV
positive and protect unborn babies.
· All other pregnant women not falling
into this category, but who are HIV positive, will be put on treatment at
fourteen weeks of pregnancy to protect the baby.

In saying we should
"overcome HIV the same way that it spreads - one individual at a time" and
calling on people to "really show that all of us are responsible," President
Zuma today made a strong call to all South Africans to go and test. He has
further demonstrated how he has led the HIV/AIDS campaign from the front by
announcing making arrangements to take a test, having taken one before and
knowing his status.
We fully endorse this stance and call on other leaders
to follow his example. The President's call to depoliticise the pandemic,
should also be applauded.

As the frightening statistics of 1000 new
infections being reported daily in South Africa, we call on all ANC
structures, Alliance partners, business and organs of civil society to
engage vigorously in our campaign aimed at ensuring that people know their
status. It is only through encouraging people to test and knowing their
status that we can achieve the target of cutting down new infections by 50
percent. It is also when we go out to test in our multitudes that we can
achieve the 80 percent target we have set ourselves for people to get access
to ARVs and get best regime for treatment.

The ANC thanks many South
Africans for heeding the call by Government to voluntarily undertake
HIV/AIDS test. We cannot over-emphasise the crucial importance of anyone
knowing his or her status, undergoing counselling, taking medication and
eating well.

In dealing with HIV/AIDS, we are encouraged to see the good
and positive working relationship that has developed between Government,
organs of civil society and business to intensify awareness campaigns aimed
at educating millions of our people about this scourge. Equally we would
like to express appreciation on countries sharing learnings and research on
HIV/AIDS.

We acknowledge and appreciate the good gesture by the United
States Government to donate $120 million to South Africa, which will go
towards the disbursement of drugs over two years. This contribution will
make a huge difference to many who are in dire need of the much-needed
drugs. In the interest of globally stamping out this pandemic, we call on
the developed world to follow the good example set by the US by financially
supporting HIV/AIDS programmes in developing countries.

As we celebrate
World Aids Day, we also want to remind all South Africans about observing 16
Days of Activism against women and children. It is only through
strengthening programmes directed at gender-based violence and improving the
position of women in society, that we can take the country forward.