Date: 01/12/2008

Source: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government

Title: SA: Ndebele: Address by the KwaZulu-Natal Premier on the commemoration of World AIDS Day.

2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. The World AIDS Day theme for 2008, "stop HIV and AIDS, lead and unite," provides an opportunity to highlight and demonstrate the leadership needed to fulfil commitments that have been made in response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic particularly the promise of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and celebrating the leadership that has been witnessed at all levels of society.

Government intervention

The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government has in place the Provincial Council on AIDS, chaired by the Premier, which consists of provincial government departments, local government and civil society. District AIDS Councils are also now in place in the province.

We have increased the testing of the number of pregnant women and infants for HIV and AIDS from 32 percent in 2000 to more than 95 percent in 2007.
We have succeeded in demystifying the myth about the use of a condom and promoted condom use in the fight against HIV and AIDS in our province. We continue to urge people to get tested and manage your status.

Significant progress has been made in the administration of Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART). Close to 70 ART service points are now fully accredited and operational. As a result, the number of registered ART patients increased from 200 in 2004 to more than 190 000 in 2008.

Government has increased funding for the HIV and AIDS control programme in our province from close to R40 Million in 2001 to more than R1,2 Billion in 2008.

"Stop HIV and AIDS lead and unite," is relevant because it puts the responsibility of fighting this disease in all our hands.

The responsibility lies in the hands of churches and other faith-based organisations. It lies in the hands of non-governmental and community-based organisations. It lies in the hands of our schools and universities. It lies in the hands of various government structures. It lies in the hands of traditional leadership. It lies in the hands of individuals, families, communities and society.

Turning the tide

Our message is clear. All those involved in the fight against HIV and AIDS should move out of the boardroom and lead a social movement to spread the message that HIV and AIDS is not a death sentence. We can turn the tide.

Let's talk about sex. HIV and AIDS is an issue that concerns men and women, as well as our youth and children. Men must ensure that they get tested.

Voluntary testing and knowing your status is of paramount importance.

Information is power

Firstly, we need to simplify the information that we circulate about HIV and AIDS. HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system, the body's defence against diseases. Many of us are in different states of being unwell. If you know the state you are in, then you are able to do something about it.

We must learn important lessons from people living with other illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension and who continue to live for years through lifestyle changes. If it's diabetes, you reduce your sugar intake and if it's hypertension, you reduce your salt intake. It's all about following a special diet and healthy lifestyle. The same applies to HIV and AIDS; it is no different to any other illness. With early testing, proper treatment, a healthy diet and regular exercise, we can prevent deaths.

The social movement must provide our citizens with education and information on a variety of social issues including teenage pregnancies, poverty, sex education, and so on.

Outside a legislative framework guiding the provincial council on AIDS, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Council on AIDS Constitution was drafted and adopted by stakeholders. Today, we are circulating the constitution and making copies available. This gives all stakeholders an opportunity to know how the provincial council on AIDS functions.

Strategic plan

The National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS 2007/11 intends to ensure that the large majority of South Africans, who are HIV negative, remain negative. There should be bold steps to prevent the growth of the rate of infection among the youth. The plan also aims to reduce the HIV infection rate among children, under the age of five, by expanding the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme and providing antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women.

On treatment, the aim is to increase the reach of the country's antiretroviral treatment programme from the current estimated one quarter of HIV positive people to at least 80 percent of people living with HIV and AIDS as well as their families.

In order to lessen the impact of HIV and AIDS on families and communities, the plan also aims to expand community-home-based care and palliative care programmes, as well as social safety network programmes, for orphans and vulnerable children.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is through various kinds of partnerships that, together, we can win the fight against HIV and AIDS. We need to stop fighting against each other, and lead and unite in our fight against HIV ands AIDS.

Thank you.