Date: 01/12/2003
Source: City of Cape Town
Title: Mfeketo: Launch of Cape Town's comprehensive HIV/Aids prevention and care programme
Executive Mayor's Speech at the launch of the city's comprehensive HIV/Aids prevention and care programme
Honoured guests, members of Parliament, Councillors, Health Committee and community representatives and staff.
Thank you for this opportunity to join with you in celebrating World AIDS Day and to launch the City’s comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and care programme in Langa.
Addressing the crisis of HIV/AIDS and TB in our country has not been easy. There have been many differing voices and positions. But now there is a clear national plan for a comprehensive approach to the pandemic which includes the national rollout of anti retrovirals to those who require it.
As Mayor I have always been concerned and responsive to this strategic priority for the City. We believe that a holistic programme that really empowers the community to become active partners in the fight against HIV/AIDS is the positive, dynamic way forward. We already have a powerful partnership between the Province and the City where we both work together to compliment each other’s role in the interest of better service to HIV positive people.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is rolling back development progress in the city through reduced life expectancy and the high impact on the economically active age group. Together with TB, it is a health emergency and needs all sectors to work together in partnership to stem the tide. It impacts on all, but is worst in our poor African communities where it is also driving the TB epidemic. Already HIV/AIDS is the most common cause of death of women and children in the city.
But these are not the only causes of early death in the city. To show that we value life we must fight the alcohol-driven abuse leading to violence that causes one in every five deaths in the city. This tragedy is rooted in poverty, social dysfunction, and gang culture. All sectors need to take responsibility for tacking these issues and empowering communities to enjoy health for all. As a City we need to actively support moral renewal, leading in turn to behaviour change.
The facts are that in 2002, 18% of pregnant women in Langa were HIV positive. This is in the context of a city average of 13% of pregnant women being HIV positive and the highest level being 28% in Nyanga and Guguletu. TB cases continue to increase and last year reached 24,000. In many areas two thirds of our TB clients are HIV positive. Studies have shown those most at risk live in urban informal settlements where 28.4% of adults are HIV positive.
These facts could overwhelm us and cause paralysis. But the mother city has responded positively to the challenge and has committed itself to the priority project to step up, through effective partnerships, efforts aimed at turning the tide on HIV/AIDS, TB, infant mortality and substance abuse. We have a multi sectoral strategy and coordinate this through the City HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee chaired by the member of the mayoral committee for Health, Cllr Mlanjeni. We have facilitated an empowered community response through multi sectoral action committees (MSATs) in each of the eight health sub districts.
Together with the Province we have encouraged citizens to know their HIV status through free, confidential voluntary counselling and testing at every one of our 93 city health clinics. We have been able to test 5% of the adult population. People are much more likely to change their behaviour once they know if they are HIV positive or negative.
We believe the community has a key role to play in addressing TB.
Firstly in talking about the signs and symptoms so that everyone who has been coughing for longer than 3 weeks comes to the clinic to be checked for TB, and secondly through their role as community treatment supporters.
We are also supporting community-based interventions to reduce infant mortality and a sensible drinking campaign. By upgrading informal settlements and our commitment to the poor we will be addressing the underlying causes that put so many poor at risk of HIV/AIDS.
I am proud to be part of such a comprehensive response to priority needs in the city.
Today we launch the comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and care programme which will start in the Langa Clinic with our donor partners of MTCT Plus and ARK. The PMTCT Plus project at Langa will see 250 clients a year for three years joining the comprehensive programme, and those who require anti retrovirals will receive them for life.
Our partnership with Absolute Returns for Kids – ARK, will see 1,500 women care givers and their infected partners throughout the city receiving anti retrovirals by the end of next year.
Prevention remains key and the city will distribute 18 million condoms this year. Remember the ABC of prevention. A is to abstain if you are young. B is to be faithful to your spouse and C is to use a condom every time you have sex if you have more than one sexual partner.
I believe we can be proud of our programmes and city response and know for sure that we will turn the tide on these dreaded diseases. We can renew our commitment with confidence and a real sense of hope for the city.
Let us all live positively; care actively and act responsibly in our communities. Then together we will overcome.
I thank you.
City of Cape Town
December 1, 2003
Source: City of Cape Town
Title: Mfeketo: Launch of Cape Town's comprehensive HIV/Aids prevention and care programme
Executive Mayor's Speech at the launch of the city's comprehensive HIV/Aids prevention and care programme
Honoured guests, members of Parliament, Councillors, Health Committee and community representatives and staff.
Thank you for this opportunity to join with you in celebrating World AIDS Day and to launch the City’s comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and care programme in Langa.
Addressing the crisis of HIV/AIDS and TB in our country has not been easy. There have been many differing voices and positions. But now there is a clear national plan for a comprehensive approach to the pandemic which includes the national rollout of anti retrovirals to those who require it.
As Mayor I have always been concerned and responsive to this strategic priority for the City. We believe that a holistic programme that really empowers the community to become active partners in the fight against HIV/AIDS is the positive, dynamic way forward. We already have a powerful partnership between the Province and the City where we both work together to compliment each other’s role in the interest of better service to HIV positive people.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is rolling back development progress in the city through reduced life expectancy and the high impact on the economically active age group. Together with TB, it is a health emergency and needs all sectors to work together in partnership to stem the tide. It impacts on all, but is worst in our poor African communities where it is also driving the TB epidemic. Already HIV/AIDS is the most common cause of death of women and children in the city.
But these are not the only causes of early death in the city. To show that we value life we must fight the alcohol-driven abuse leading to violence that causes one in every five deaths in the city. This tragedy is rooted in poverty, social dysfunction, and gang culture. All sectors need to take responsibility for tacking these issues and empowering communities to enjoy health for all. As a City we need to actively support moral renewal, leading in turn to behaviour change.
The facts are that in 2002, 18% of pregnant women in Langa were HIV positive. This is in the context of a city average of 13% of pregnant women being HIV positive and the highest level being 28% in Nyanga and Guguletu. TB cases continue to increase and last year reached 24,000. In many areas two thirds of our TB clients are HIV positive. Studies have shown those most at risk live in urban informal settlements where 28.4% of adults are HIV positive.
These facts could overwhelm us and cause paralysis. But the mother city has responded positively to the challenge and has committed itself to the priority project to step up, through effective partnerships, efforts aimed at turning the tide on HIV/AIDS, TB, infant mortality and substance abuse. We have a multi sectoral strategy and coordinate this through the City HIV/AIDS Coordinating Committee chaired by the member of the mayoral committee for Health, Cllr Mlanjeni. We have facilitated an empowered community response through multi sectoral action committees (MSATs) in each of the eight health sub districts.
Together with the Province we have encouraged citizens to know their HIV status through free, confidential voluntary counselling and testing at every one of our 93 city health clinics. We have been able to test 5% of the adult population. People are much more likely to change their behaviour once they know if they are HIV positive or negative.
We believe the community has a key role to play in addressing TB.
Firstly in talking about the signs and symptoms so that everyone who has been coughing for longer than 3 weeks comes to the clinic to be checked for TB, and secondly through their role as community treatment supporters.
We are also supporting community-based interventions to reduce infant mortality and a sensible drinking campaign. By upgrading informal settlements and our commitment to the poor we will be addressing the underlying causes that put so many poor at risk of HIV/AIDS.
I am proud to be part of such a comprehensive response to priority needs in the city.
Today we launch the comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and care programme which will start in the Langa Clinic with our donor partners of MTCT Plus and ARK. The PMTCT Plus project at Langa will see 250 clients a year for three years joining the comprehensive programme, and those who require anti retrovirals will receive them for life.
Our partnership with Absolute Returns for Kids – ARK, will see 1,500 women care givers and their infected partners throughout the city receiving anti retrovirals by the end of next year.
Prevention remains key and the city will distribute 18 million condoms this year. Remember the ABC of prevention. A is to abstain if you are young. B is to be faithful to your spouse and C is to use a condom every time you have sex if you have more than one sexual partner.
I believe we can be proud of our programmes and city response and know for sure that we will turn the tide on these dreaded diseases. We can renew our commitment with confidence and a real sense of hope for the city.
Let us all live positively; care actively and act responsibly in our communities. Then together we will overcome.
I thank you.
City of Cape Town
December 1, 2003
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
