Issued by: Ministry of Health
1 JULY 1996
The Minister of Health, Dr N C Dlamini Zuma, begins a ten-day visit to Canada and the United Kingdom on Tuesday, 2 July 1996.
Dr Zuma will deliver a message on behalf of President Nelson Mandela, at the opening ceremony of The XI International Conference on AIDS, the largest meeting in the world devoted to the global pandemic of HIV and AIDS, which takes place on 7 July 1996 in Vancouver, Canada.
President Mandela had been invited as a guest of honour at this conference but could not attend due to prior commitments. Dr Zuma who has also been invited in her capacity as Minister of Health for South Africa will deliver her address at the opening ceremony of the conference, which is expected to attract 15 000 participants from around the globe.
On 8 July, she travels to the U.K. where the University of Bristol; the Medical Institution at which she completed her MBChB degree in 1978, will on 10 July confer the Honorary Doctor of Laws degree on her. Dr Zuma will also have meetings with British Health authorities and will also accompany President Mandela in the meetings he will have while in the U.K.
In Canada Dr Zuma will spend two days in the province Saskatchewan, in Regina; the Province which, since the beginning of the year has been twined with our Free State province. A South Africa-Canada Governance Programme has been initiated between the two provinces with the aim of contributing to the development and strengthening of governance structures, processes and provide expertise. This co-operation will be extended to other areas of mutual interest. The Minister will have meetings with health officials here and also visit their health facilities.
Dr Zuma will meet the Canadian Minister of Health, Mr Dingwall, and also have meetings with high-ranking Canadian government officials.
In her absence, Dr Zola Skweyiya, the Minister of Public Service and Administration will act as the Minister of Health, Dr Zuma is expected back home on 13 July 1996.
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