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YCLSA: Statement by Gugu Ndima, Young Communist League of South Africa spokesperson, on World Aids Day (01/12/2009)

The Young communist league of South Africa (UFasimba) joins the world in commemorating World Aids day today and further applauds the new administration on its vigorous approach in fighting the pandemic. The new energised approach from the current administration is a breath of fresh air from the previous administration that suffered from severe denialism about HIV/Aids. This consequently attributed to the high levels of infections and deaths that could have been prevented. The New national strategic plan from government, aims to reduce the rate of infections by 50% by 2011 and also by then to provide anti-retroviral treatment to 80% of those who need it.
The YCLSA acknowledges that of the 5.5 million people infected, the majority are people under the age of 35. Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, released shocking statistics recently, on the status of health in our country. The facts shows that the number of people who die per year leapt from 300,000 in 1997 to 756,000 in 2008 and is already at 900,000 for this 2009.The facts further revealed that our life expectance leapt from 63 in 1990 to 47, equal to countries such as Afghanistan, which are at war. This is worsened by the mortality rate, which the Minister said was at 59%, and that 79% of the women who died where infected with HIV.
We have reached a stage where HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) accounts for 35% of deaths in our country. We are effectively in a state of emergency and are held hostage of a disease whose spread we could have easily slowed by merely providing political and moral leadership to our people.
This means that the economy is affected, families are destroyed, children are orphaned, the youth die young and every South Africa remains at risk of being infected or affected. Worse off, these numbers are not a complete picture as they are for women attending ante-natal clinics and are compelled to take an HIV test.
As the YCLSA it is our compelling duty to lead in the fight against HIV/Aids as young people are the one's mostly dying. We also call upon the Health department to increase the distribution of female condoms in order to ensure that both parties take responsibility for their health as well as their lives.