Issued by The Gauteng Provincial Government
11 July 2001
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa accompanied by the MEC for Health Dr Gwen Ramokgopa will host the Gauteng Aids Council (GAC) meeting at Kalafong Hospital in Atteridgeville on Thursday, 12 July 2001. Kalafong / Pretoria West Hospitals recently became the second Mother-to-Child-Transmission (MTCT) pilot site, after Natalspruit Hospital/JC Dumane Clinic earlier this year.
As Gauteng faces an ever-increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases, a Partnership Against Aids was launched to elicit strong partnerships that go beyond government. The Premier, supported by the MEC for Health in Gauteng Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, subsequently appointed the Gauteng Aids Council in June 2000.
The GAC functions mainly to advocate for mobilisation on AIDS in non-governmental sectors, to facilitate sectoral responses on AIDS, and advises the Premier on HIVAIDS trends from a non-governmental point of view.
Members of the GAC include representatives from People Living With Aids (PWA), SANCO, and representatives from the youth, labour unions, business, sport, arts, Disabled, local government, religious groups, traditional healers, hostel residents, AIDS experts and the provincial government.
The Premier, who heads the GAC, and the MEC will round off the GAC meeting by visiting a home-based HIV/AIDS care facility in Atteridgeville at about 14h00.
For more information contact:
Annette Griessel at 082 563 3614 or
Hope Huma at 082 555 2302