Building a consensus on implementation of the National Strategic Plan 2007-2011 on HIV and AIDS

4 September 2007

[KEY MESSAGES]

The restructuring of the South African National AIDS Council and the approval of the National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and tuberculosis (TB) has consolidated our response to managing and dealing with the HIV pandemic.

HIV and AIDS is among us; it is real and presents huge challenges for the people of our country – we can only win against HIV and AIDS if we join hands to save our people.

In line with the reviewed comprehensive plan (National Plan for HIV and AIDS and STI 2007-2011) the thirrd South African AIDS Conference emphasised the importance of building a consensus on prevention, treatment and care and represented a roadmap and consensus plan between researchers, experts, civil society, academics and the government on key issues.

The conference responds to a call to strengthen the National Partnership against AIDS through coherent messages and programmes shared, agreed to and approved by all stakeholders and members of South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

Conference’s declaration and commitments contribute to the realisation of the primary aims and the interventions structures under four key priority areas of the NSP.

Success in implementing the National HIV and AIDS plan depends on leadership at every level of society as well as mobilisation and co-operation in all our sectors – government, labour and business; health workers and scientists; communities and schools; NGOs, faith-based organisations and community based organisations; traditional leaders; and in our places of work, study and where we live.

The comprehensive approach is clear and in line with international best practice:

The management of HIV and AIDS requires both personal and public responsibility:

What is making the impact of HIV and AIDS so severe in our region? Amongst other things is the socio-economic factors; unequal gender and sexual relations that put women at risk; unprotected and unsafe sex; alcohol and drug abuse.

Comprehensive behaviour change programmes, driven by accurate public information about HIV and support services, that recognise and respond to these drivers of HIV infection will be the cornerstone of our prevention efforts. Increased effort activism against violence and risky behaviour making women more vulnerable.

There is progress in changes to risk behaviours that have led to decline in HIV infection rate. However there is much more to do to promote and reinforce behavioural change to reduce risk and promote healthy lifestyles.

Stigma and discrimination are barriers to HIV prevention, treatment and care efforts – we need to deal with stigma as an integral part of all our efforts. The nation must talk openly and honestly about the pandemic in support of those infected and affected.

The promotion of fundamental human rights principles of dignity, equality, non-discrimination and freedom are a cornerstone of our approach to HIV and AIDS. All our efforts to prevent, treat and care for those with HIV are informed by these values, in line with our constitution.

These programmes are supported by other key prevention measures, these are: health services to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission during and immediately after pregnancy; access to post-exposure prophylaxis for people who have been raped and guidance and support to HIV positive people on HIV prevention (called ‘positive prevention’).

The comprehensive plan will rapidly scale up all these programmes.

Prevention

Since there is no cure for AIDS we must act together to stop new infection by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS: Every new infection limits the right to life. It affects the quality of life for individuals and families. We should expand accessibility, availability and utilisation of voluntary counselling and testing services to vulnerable groups. We should promote integrated testing into community based, non medical and outreach service settings

There is a clear link between violence against women and HIV infection. Our efforts to reduce new infections will not succeed without an adequate response to this social ill. Communities must work with the criminal justice system to protect and create justice for women - through campaigns like the 365 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women.

Most HIV infection is through sexual intercourse, and can be prevented by responsible behaviour. Teenagers should wait till they’re older to have sex. Among people who are sexually active, consistent use of condoms and commitment to a single partner can reduce HIV infection significantly.

People living with HIV also need to have safe sexual practices, in order to prevent infection of others and their own re-infection.

We should mobilise around some key preventative measures against HIV and AIDS such as:

Promotion of safer breast feeding and ensuring that continuity of care is provided to HIV-exposed infants and promoting HIV prevention to all lactating women is vital to reducing mother to child transmission.
Increasing the supply and monitoring the uptake of female condoms as part of effective prevention of HIV and STIs

Everyone should know their HIV status, and make voluntary HIV testing a regular part of their lives.

The comprehensive plan includes ambitious targets to reverse the course of the epidemic over the next five years.

Treatment, care and support

Though there is no known cure for AIDS, we can slow down the effects of HIV infection. Treatment, care and support are part of the comprehensive programme – but these will only help if individuals and communities play their part.

Good nutrition, regular exercise, safer sexual practice, non-smoking and use of alcohol in moderation all help to keep people healthy and to protect the immune system.

A healthy and responsible lifestyle is necessary and complements medical treatment of opportunistic infections and anti-retroviral treatment for those who need it.

As a result of access to treatment people with HIV can live longer, healthier and more productive lives.

However, even with treatment, HIV and AIDS remain a drastic disease that demands our collective response to reduce its spread and effect on our communities.
Increasing the accessibility of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and ensuring the availability of antiretroviral drugs that are associated with less toxicity, especially for patients at high-risk of side effects, remain a key aspect of the comprehensive treatment approach.

But we all need to know that a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition are not alternatives to ARV treatment when a person becomes sick. Antiretroviral treatment makes a person well. But it is not a cure. Therefore managing HIV and AIDS requires a lifelong and comprehensive commitment from individuals and society.

The state provides some resources to tide people over the worst of infection – but care and support are also a community and social responsibility

The temporary disability grant helps tide people over the worst of the infection – but the aim of public health interventions is to restore people living with AIDS to health so they can take up the rights and responsibilities of any other citizen.

Our communities have a special role in identifying children at risk, protecting and supporting child-headed households and others who are vulnerable. Our National AIDS response will plan interventions in this area.

The business sector must continue to extend its workplace-based wellness, treatment and prevention programmes and devise plans to prevent new infections in communities they draw their workforce from.

Partnership of hope

Now is the time to strengthen the national partnership – we must act to rapidly reverse the spread for the epidemic:

Our efforts make a difference.

At this critical moment we must reduce the tensions among those who want to work in turning the tide of the pandemic.

Partners in the fight against HIV should commit to communicate and discourage risk behaviours, promotion and empowering women and girls as well as involving males in taking responsibility for sexual and reproductive health and HIV prevention and support.

SANAC has a special responsibility. It embodies the national partnership and through this partnership we must implement the comprehensive plan with speed and enthusiasm.

With time-bound benchmarks of progress, the bold NSP targets reflect the commitment of Government to combating HIV, AIDS and STIs, recognising that less ambitious targets will not turn the tide of the epidemic.

This requires us to adapt our strategy and responses to intensify our intervention methods and messages as well as tailor-make our messages for diverse and marginalised groups.

A time of opportunity – a time for united action:

We have an opportunity to reverse the course of the epidemic and have a South Africa and Africa free of AIDS.

Reaching the NSP targets will require intense collective effort by every one. It will equally require individual behavioural change and responsibility from all of us.

All of us in all our sectors must share information and research to inform our interventions strategies and improve our approach to the pandemic. We affirmed support for research into new prevention technologies, including AIDS vaccines and microbicides.

Each one of us can be part of it.

Together we can overcome! Let us join hands in a partnership of hope!

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Last modified: 08 October 2007 14:43:42.