Issued by: Office of the Premier Gauteng
27 November 2000
From 30 November to 9 December, the provincial government, together with a wide range of organisations and social sectors in Gauteng will be embarking on a programme of activities to mark World Aids Day.
These activities should be seen in the context of the strategies, programmes and projects we are implementing in Gauteng in line with the national five-year strategic plan on HIV/Aids and the continued challenges we face in the struggle against HIV/Aids.
The World Aids Day campaign gives us the opportunity to extend and elevate this ongoing multi-pronged strategy. This has involved widespread social mobilisation, prevention and raising awareness and education through a variety of mechanisms; services to support behavioural change such as the supply of condoms, STD management and voluntary testing; the reduction of mother to child transmission and the provision of care and support for people infected and affected by Aids.
We are on track in expanding the research sites on the prevention of mother to child transmission through administering the anti-retroviral drug Nevirapine, which we announced in October.
In addition to the existing projects at Chris Hani Baragwanath and Coronation hospitals, we have registered two new sites - Pretoria West, including the Kalafong area, and Natalspruit, including the Kathorus area. Other research sites will be phased in as the project unfolds.
A crucial aspect of the strategy involves the building of sustainable organisation and partnerships involving government and civil society and the implementation of intersectoral HIV/Aids programmes at local and provincial level. Significant progress has been registered and, indeed, the national partnership against Aids is being extended to every community and district, and every social sector in the province. Millions have rallied behind the slogan: Together we can fight HIV/Aids.
The top priority afforded to HIV/Aids by the provincial government is reflected in the fact that HIV/Aids programmes have been integrated within the work of every provincial Department.
The Premier's Committee on Aids has been driving this prioritisation within government, while the Gauteng Aids Council, consisting of representatives of a variety of social sectors, has been working to strengthen Gauteng's social partnership in action against HIV/Aids.
The theme for this year's World Aids Day is "Men Make a Difference" to raise awareness of the role of men in the struggle against HIV/Aids. The theme will guide the international campaign, led by the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS), which has three main objectives:
This programme involves a wide range of activities, including door-to-door and street campaigns in communities throughout Gauteng, events organised by government in partnership with civil society, sectoral events aimed at hostels, the transport sector, prisons, workplaces and a variety of cultural events. Many other activities are being organised by communities and various sectors, including the media.
The wideranging nature of the activities are in themselves evidence of the consistent work in the province to mobilise and organise against HIV/Aids and to rally support and care for those affected by HIV/Aids. But the reality is that we all need to do more to defeat this epidemic.
HIV/AIDS reaches into every sector of society. This means that we all have to respond to this disease in a systematic and coherent manner. It is not simply the responsibility of government, or organisations working in the AIDS field. Indeed, every South African has a role to play and everyone must understand that role.
Young people, particularly those under 25 years of age, are especially vulnerable to HIV infection. We believe that programmes directed at the youth need to involve youth leadership in line with the worldwide trend towards programmes run and managed by youth. Further research to monitor and evaluate the impact of HIV/Aids programmes among young people is also planned.
The prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases remains an important focus of our efforts to prevent HIV/Aids. We will build on the successful programmes in areas such as Carletonville, where targeted interventions have shown a decline in STDs.
We believe that men have a crucial role to play, not just in the prevention and containment of HIV/AIDS, but also in the effective implementation of the care strategy.
CARE AND SUPPORT
We need to intensify our efforts to build a caring society in which People Living With Aids and those orphaned by Aids have the necessary care and support. We know that this epidemic is changing. Many of those who are infected, including young people, are becoming ill. We need to provide them with care and we need to support their families and loved ones.
Many children are losing one or more parents, and families and communities need to join hands with government to take up the challenge to care for children orphaned by the epidemic. We need to recognise that in the most difficult and trying of circumstances, there is hope.
Throughout our country many dedicated citizens and organisations are providing counselling, care and support to those infected. In our communities, many families have opened their hearts and their homes to those directly affected, especially children orphaned by AIDS.
The World Aids Day door-to-door campaign lays the basis for ensuring that home-based care is expanded to every home, street and community.
The provincial government has established home-based care projects working in collaboration with local government, NGOs and community-based organisations and these are being extended throughout the province.
In addition to expenditure on HIV/Aids in the current financial year, the provincial government will announce increased allocations to HIV/Aids programmes in the province, including increases for the expansion of home-based care projects.
For further information, contact Popo Maja at 082 373 1169