The Cabinet has instructed the Health Department to urgently
develop a detailed operational plan for a national antiretroviral
treatment (ART) programme, the Government Communication and
Information System (GCIS) said on Friday.
The department will be assisted by South African experts and specialists from the Clinton Foundation aids initiative.
The GCIS said it was expected that the department's work would be completed by the end of September.
"Government shares the impatience of many South Africans on the need to strengthen the nation's armoury in the fight against Aids.
"Cabinet will therefore ensure that the remaining challenges are addressed with urgency, and that the final product guarantees a programme that is effective and sustainable."
This follows a special meeting by the Cabinet on Friday to consider a report of the joint Health and Treasury task team on treatment options to enhance comprehensive care for HIV/Aids in the public sector.
The report deals with various challenges, including a programme to administer antiretrovirals (ARVs) to enhance the quality of life of those who have reached an advanced stage of Aids, and proposes various scenarios in dealing with the matter.
The report proceeded from the premise that new developments in drug prices, the growing knowledge on this issue, wide appreciation of the role of nutrition, and availability of budgetary resources had enabled the government to consider this enhanced response.
The Cabinet meeting reiterated the government's principled approach that ARVs did help improve the quality of life of those at a certain stage of the development of Aids, if administered properly.
It also noted that it was critical for South Africa not to lower its guard as there is no cure for Aids.
"It also noted... that a primary challenge in our situation is to ensure that the 40 million South Africans who are not infected with HIV stay that way, and that those who are infected but have not as yet progressed to an advanced stage of Aids lead a normal life through proper nutrition, healthy lifestyles and treatment of opportunistic infections.
"In other words, not everyone who is infected with HIV would need antiretroviral treatment," the Cabinet said.
A summary of the report says information from various data sources clearly indicates that the HIV epidemic in the country is stabilising, with a significant reduction in its pace in younger age groups.
"These data however also show the need to strengthen our current approach with regard to treatment, care and support in the face of increasing mortality due to HIV/Aids, over and above both the other elements of the comprehensive strategy and government's integrated programmes to alleviate poverty," it read.
The summary says there is now a better appreciation of the social dimensions of HIV and Aids in South Africa and the rest of the world. This allows policies of health care interventions to be appropriately located in a broader social and health context.
It said that given the costs, complexities and limitations of ART, a decision to provide such treatment is one about weighing the risks and benefits with regard to patients already in a desperate state of illness, and patients should be allowed to make an informed choice on whether to take ARVs.
Further it should be asserted that an even greater responsibility is on health practitioners with regard to rigourous HIV tests, counselling, and the management of ARV prescription.
The summary says the success in the implementation of ART in the country depends not only on the availability of funds, but also on adequate health infrastructure, affordable medicines and human resources.
"The actual pace of expansion therefore would depend critically on our common ability to ensure that the conditions for success are progressively put in place."
It says it will be necessary to maintain targeted spending of R550 to R570-million per year for the foreseeable future to ensure a comprehensive and effective health sector prevention programme is maintained.
About 4,7 million South Africans are HIV-positive, and between 400,000 and 500,000 of them have Aids.
The full report will be released soon - Sapa
The department will be assisted by South African experts and specialists from the Clinton Foundation aids initiative.
The GCIS said it was expected that the department's work would be completed by the end of September.
"Government shares the impatience of many South Africans on the need to strengthen the nation's armoury in the fight against Aids.
"Cabinet will therefore ensure that the remaining challenges are addressed with urgency, and that the final product guarantees a programme that is effective and sustainable."
This follows a special meeting by the Cabinet on Friday to consider a report of the joint Health and Treasury task team on treatment options to enhance comprehensive care for HIV/Aids in the public sector.
The report deals with various challenges, including a programme to administer antiretrovirals (ARVs) to enhance the quality of life of those who have reached an advanced stage of Aids, and proposes various scenarios in dealing with the matter.
The report proceeded from the premise that new developments in drug prices, the growing knowledge on this issue, wide appreciation of the role of nutrition, and availability of budgetary resources had enabled the government to consider this enhanced response.
The Cabinet meeting reiterated the government's principled approach that ARVs did help improve the quality of life of those at a certain stage of the development of Aids, if administered properly.
It also noted that it was critical for South Africa not to lower its guard as there is no cure for Aids.
"It also noted... that a primary challenge in our situation is to ensure that the 40 million South Africans who are not infected with HIV stay that way, and that those who are infected but have not as yet progressed to an advanced stage of Aids lead a normal life through proper nutrition, healthy lifestyles and treatment of opportunistic infections.
"In other words, not everyone who is infected with HIV would need antiretroviral treatment," the Cabinet said.
A summary of the report says information from various data sources clearly indicates that the HIV epidemic in the country is stabilising, with a significant reduction in its pace in younger age groups.
"These data however also show the need to strengthen our current approach with regard to treatment, care and support in the face of increasing mortality due to HIV/Aids, over and above both the other elements of the comprehensive strategy and government's integrated programmes to alleviate poverty," it read.
The summary says there is now a better appreciation of the social dimensions of HIV and Aids in South Africa and the rest of the world. This allows policies of health care interventions to be appropriately located in a broader social and health context.
It said that given the costs, complexities and limitations of ART, a decision to provide such treatment is one about weighing the risks and benefits with regard to patients already in a desperate state of illness, and patients should be allowed to make an informed choice on whether to take ARVs.
Further it should be asserted that an even greater responsibility is on health practitioners with regard to rigourous HIV tests, counselling, and the management of ARV prescription.
The summary says the success in the implementation of ART in the country depends not only on the availability of funds, but also on adequate health infrastructure, affordable medicines and human resources.
"The actual pace of expansion therefore would depend critically on our common ability to ensure that the conditions for success are progressively put in place."
It says it will be necessary to maintain targeted spending of R550 to R570-million per year for the foreseeable future to ensure a comprehensive and effective health sector prevention programme is maintained.
About 4,7 million South Africans are HIV-positive, and between 400,000 and 500,000 of them have Aids.
The full report will be released soon - Sapa
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