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7 May 2006

The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) held its regular meeting to discuss various issues relating to HIV and AIDS in Pretoria today, 7 May 2006. The meeting was chaired by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as the Chairperson of SANAC.

The meeting received a report on matters pertaining to applications by SANAC as South Africa’s Country Co-ordinating Mechanism (CCM) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria (Global Fund). SANAC was advised by the Global Fund that the unsuccessful Round Five applications could not be reconsidered but should be taken into account in formulating the forthcoming Round Six applications.

While the resubmission of the application on behalf of Lovelife had not been successful, the Global Fund approved the re-application on behalf of KwaZulu-Natal, with provisos. These included the need to establish a system for the effective monitoring and evaluation of the projects it funds.

The fund also expressed views on the structure and processes of the Country Co-ordinating Mechanism SANAC agreed that in establishing a Monitoring and Evaluation system for projects funded by the Global Fund, the opportunity should be taken to enhance the monitoring and evaluation of all HIV and AIDS projects. It also agreed that the issues regarding the structure and funding of the CCM should be taken into account during the forthcoming review by SANAC of its structures and operations.

It was further agreed that in submitting a Round six application to the Global Fund, this should as the Global Fund has suggested, be based on the Round Five application, inviting provinces and organisation wishing to make new applications that they do so in the context of the Round Five provincial proposals.

With regard to the review of SANAC, it was agreed that the SANAC Secretariat should elicit the views of stakeholders on this matter and based on those inputs compile a proposal for discussion at a workshop to be held by the end of June.

The Council received a report combining South Africa’s report to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) and a report on implementation of the Comprehensive Plan for the Management, Care and Treatment of HIV and AIDS. The Council welcomed the progress made in implementing the plan in all the main areas: prevention, treatment care and support, as a strong basis on which to further intensify the fight against HIV and AIDS. Regarding the UNGASS, it was agreed that the South Africa Report should be circulated to members of the Council. It was further agreed that, prior to the Special Session, a meeting should be held of all South Africans who will be attending the special session and that during the Special Session itself there should be constant liaison in order to promote the presentation of a coherent country to the UNGASS.

A presentation on a framework for the National Strategic Plan for 2006 - 2011 was made to the Council, as a way forward with the ending of the five-year Comprehensive Strategy adopted for 2000 - 2005. The Council agreed that the major approaches of the strategy were correct and should inform the new plan. It directed that the Department of Health should develop the framework into a detailed plan and programme, taking into account the experience of implementation to date and the inputs of the various sectors of SANAC. The plan will be discussed at a one-day workshop of SANAC in six-month time before finalisation.

A presentation was made on South Africa’s response to the Africa United’s declaration of 2006 as a year of accelerated prevention of HIV infection. The strategy for acceleration is based on stepping up of social mobilisation in support of the ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful and Condom use) campaign together with increased efforts to promote the use of facility-based interventions.

Council welcomed this contribution to the intensification of the prevention campaign as the main pillar in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

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Issued by: The Presidency on behalf of SANAC
7 May 2006