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Date : 27/10/2006
Source: The Presidency
Title: Mlambo-Ngcuka: Civil Society Congress on HIV and AIDS


Address delivered by the Deputy President, Mrs Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, at the Civil Society Congress, Randburg Inn, Randburg

National Civil HIV and AIDS Prevention and Treatment Congress: Building Solidarity and Action Plan to save lives

Chairperson,
Government Ministers here present,
Presidents and chairpersons of the various organisations,
Friends and colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen:

I want to start by congratulating you for the organising of this congress. Government has insisted that partnerships are essential in the building of our new South African democracy. That is what you do in an event of this nature. I also want to salute OR Tambo on his birthday, a day when we re-name Johannesburg International Airport (JIA) after Tambo. In his memory let us work together.

With all of us working together our society has most of what is needed to reverse the tide posed by this challenge of HIV and AIDS. We have fought many battles together and we won because we were united. This was done because we pulled together we pulled all we have especially our resolve. That is why we defeated apartheid. We were focussed on a common goal and through speaking with one voice. That is what we now seek to do, to strengthen the national partnership against AIDS and send clear messages that will assist our people to fight and manage the disease better and even to defeat it. We owe our people that unity of purpose and action!

I have been requested to speak about the government's national response to HIV and AIDS. Indeed government has the responsibility to lead and guide because it is the custodian of the health and well-being of the peoples of this country. However, government cannot do all this alone. Our Department of Health officials and our Minister work tirelessly. You work tirelessly, many of our people, experts, health workers, caregivers, work tirelessly and we salute all of you. Each individual, each family, each community and indeed each sector of civil society has the responsibility to ensure that we reverse the tide of HIV and AIDS and together we can beat this scourge.

I am pleased to note that the congress will be deliberating on issues of prevention as well as treatment the challenges of stigma and discrimination as well as the fear and misinformation that fuel such behaviour.

Most of you are aware that it is contained in the multi sectoral national five-year strategic plan that is currently under review as well as the national operational plan for the comprehensive HIV and AIDS management, treatment, nutrition, care and support. All of us are concerned about doing all we can to improve our success in the implementation.

Since the South Africa National Aids Council (SANAC) plenary meeting in May 2006, where a decision was taken for the Department of Health (DoH) to lead a process of reviewing the 2000 to 2005 National Strategic Plan (NSP), to present to SANAC a new NSP for 2007 to 2011 a lot of progress has been made. The assessment report has been finalised and the first draft of the NSP has been developed. Many of you were involved with the process of validation of that report. Some of the conclusions drawn indicate that, that framework had to a great extent, fulfilled its task of giving direction to all stakeholders in the country that participation in the fight against AIDS has been broadened. It also highlights the weaknesses related to coordination and implementation. Specifically, these relate to the extent to which SANAC has fulfilled its mandate of co-ordination of partners. These are some of the improvements we will have to make going forward also as we review SANAC. In restructured SANAC we seek to rebuild the partnership that SANAC is about. We therefore propose that SANAC has:
* high level representation from all stakeholders indulging government
* revive technical committees
* increase capacity to monitor SANAC's effectiveness

* become more inclusive in the in the make up of SANAC
* separate SANAC from the country's co-ordinating mechanism (CCM) of the global fund
* use SANAC to forge unity manage differences and never elevate them to major contradictions at the expense of the fight against the decease
* forge unity such that we work in the best interest of the people of South Africa and our infected and affected people first.

Again some of you have been involved in the process of the development of the new NSP. Noting the outcomes of the assessment, the current status of HIV and AIDS, new developments in scientific evidence as well informed by the policy and legal environment, the new NSP is suggesting some targets for a range of these interventions. Your inputs and co-operation with this process has been valuable. Government shall also await the outcomes of the congress around these matters and other issues discussed in the meetings we had recently which include getting greater clarity on the extent of the epidemic, urgent action on tuberculosis (TB) and other opportunistic infections, greater actions on gender based violence, human resource development (HRD) which will enable faster and better implementation, uphold a multi sectoral approach with prevention treatment care and nutrition.

Whilst it is important to set ambitious targets given the nature and magnitude of the challenge that we are faced with as a country, it is equally important that these targets are informed by the capacities to deliver the services so we do not mislead our people.

This brings me to the comprehensive plan, the plan that currently guides the national response to HIV and AIDS. You may recall that this plan came about when antiretroviral (ARV) drugs became affordable through the efforts of government and civil society. This is a good example of what happens when we, South Africans, fight together for a common purpose with a common understanding of what the problem is.

Led by the DoH this plan seeks to enhance the care, treatment and support element of the multi-sectoral strategy. The pillars and principles outlined in this plan have to be understood by all South Africans. It is in this plan that the centrality of prevention in the national response is articulated. Also the importance of building the social and health system is part of the plan. Through the monitoring and evaluation framework of the comprehensive plan, some indicator elements are monitored routinely. With greater human resource we can do even better.

The DoH has initiated a detailed mid-term review of the implementation of this plan. This review should report on progress, constraints and outcomes as well as recommend innovative models to accelerate the scale up.

The process of the review of SANAC has been completed. Some of you have been part of this process. On Tuesday, 31 October, we will have a workshop on the restructuring of this council. This will be informed by the outcome of the review as well as the work that we have begun on rebuilding effective partnerships and solidarity. In this regard, I'd like to urge civil society to work with government in ensuring the highest level of representation from all sectors participates. It is important that sectors organise themselves in a manner that produces results as lead agencies that will be identified in the NSP. I am looking forward to constructive recommendations from the congress in this regard.

Chairperson, ladies and gentlemen, we are at very critical times in the country on this matter a time that provides excellent opportunities for rebuilding of a formidable partnership which have previously been successful in tackling very difficult problems. On 9 October 2006 a national commemoration of partnerships in AIDS was held in Kimberley, a symbolic renewal of the pledge was done at this event.

When we reach the 10th anniversary in two years, let us ensure that the actions we take this year guarantee that we rise to the challenge of working together to intensify the implementation and reverse the epidemic.

For World AIDS Day this year we want to go all out to build and nurture partnerships to mobilise the nation under shared messages. To work closely with our national Department, our provinces and local governments, moreover, the DoH remains the principal institution for all of us that is mandated to be a custodian of all our health policy and fights to create a healthy nation our fight against HIV and AIDS. It has to be supported. I wish to extend our very best wishes for the Minister's speedy recovery. I recommit to assisting National Association of People Living with AIDS (NAPWA) and Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) as representatives of people living with AIDS to unite in action. During the 16 days of no violence against women and children. Let us work together again not only during the 16 days but for 365 days.

This is time of opportunity a time for a partnership of hope and united action. Our people want and need to hear us speaking in one voice. We have an opportunity to reverse the course of the epidemic and all of us in all our sectors share the responsibility to our people to treat problems and challenges as matters for joint solution.

Acting with urgency, resolve and consistency we can overcome! Let us join hands in a partnership of hope!

At this point I take this opportunity to thank the organisers once more for the invitation and wish you all the best for the rest of the congress.

I thank you!

Issued by: The Presidency
27 October 2006

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