29 June 2001
We are proud of the contribution we have made as a South African delegation to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS held at the UN headquarters in New York this week (25-27 June). We believe that our input has contributed to shaping a global response that is relevant to the social conditions in most affected countries.
Together with fellow SADC member-states, we have been able to highlight issues of poverty, underdevelopment and illiteracy as main contributing factors to the spread of HIV/AIDS; acknowledging the primary role of prevention; and a need to strengthen health systems and improve social conditions as part of an integrated response to the epidemic.
The Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS adopted at the end of the special session notes "with grave concern that HIV/AIDS is compounding poverty and is now reversing or impending development in many countries and should therefore be addressed in an integrated manner."
UN member-states resolved to develop and accelerate the implementation of national poverty eradication strategies to address the impact of HIV/AIDS on household income, livelihoods and access to basic social services by 2003. These strategies should focus especially on individuals, families and communities severely affected by the epidemic.
National legal and policy frameworks to protect the rights and dignity of persons living with and affected by HIV/AIDS at the workplace should be developed within the same period and in consultation with representatives of workers and employers.
The Declaration acknowledges that prevention of HIV infection should be the mainstay of national, regional and international response to HIV/AIDS and countries are urged to establish time-bound national targets for prevention. The targets should be set by 2003 and should aim at reducing HIV prevalence by 25 percent among young men and women aged 15-24 in the most affected areas.
The proportion of infants infected with HIV should be reduced by 20% before 2005 and this can be achieved by ensuring that 80% of pregnant women accessing antenatal care have information, counselling and other HIV prevention services available including treatment reduce mother-to-child-transmission of HIV.
Care, support and treatment were recognised as crucial to effective prevention. Every effort should therefore be made to provide the highest attainable standard of treatment in a sustainable manner. Treatment includes the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections and effective use of quality-controlled antiretroviral therapy in a careful and monitored manner to improve adherence and effectiveness and reduce the risk of developing resistance.
National strategies, supported by regional and international strategies, should be developed by 2003 to strengthen health care systems and address factors affecting the provision of HIV-related drugs including antiretroviral drugs. These factors include affordability and pricing as well as technical and healthcare systems capacity.
National strategies to provide a supportive environment for orphans and children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS should be developed by 2003 and implemented by 2005. These policies should cover the provision of counselling and psychosocial support, ensuring their enrolment in school and access to shelter, good nutrition, health and social services and protection from all forms of abuse, violence and loss of inheritance.
Appropriate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms will be developed to assess progress and identify problems and obstacles in achieving the targets at a country level. The annual General Assembly Session will devote sufficient time to discuss progress made in implementing the Declaration and recommend appropriate action to tackle problems and constraints.
We are glad that many of the areas of priority highlighted in the Declaration are in line with our integrated and multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS and we are already making much progress in implementing recommended actions.
Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang Minister of Health
The Declaration is available on UN AIDS Web Site