Issued by the Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
2 March 2000
1. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is the most serious health challenge facing South Africa and the region.
2. Given the social, cultural, historical and economic circumstances of South Africa, a successful intervention strategy is likely to be different to the experiences of other countries of the world.
3. The Department is therefore exploring the appointment of approximately 30 local and international experts who will be asked to augment the Department's HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan.
4. The panellists, who will hopefully be representative of the wide range of views on the HIV/AIDS issue, will be encouraged to explore all aspects of the challenge of developing prevention and treatment strategies that are appropriate to the African reality.
5. The Department is currently canvassing a number of experts to determine if they are prepared to participate in the project. Suggestions for candidate participants are welcome.
6. It is intended that the participating specialists will meet in South Africa as soon as possible to agree their terms of reference in consultation with the Department.
7. They will then be encouraged to publish their views over six to eight weeks. These will be available on the Internet.
8. The panel will then meet again to try and thrash out a consensus recommendation to the Department.
9. Some of the issues that the panel will be encouraged to review include:
10. The Department is mindful of the complexity and sensitivity of the HIV/AIDS issue. We are totally committed to developing a response strategy that is effective, appropriate and supported by the majority of South Africans.
11.We are taking urgent action based on the best available scientific evidence and suited to our unique health and welfare circumstances in South Africa. There are no simplistic or easy answers and the Department will therefore keep an open mind on the debate surrounding HIV/AIDS.