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29 November 2007

The South African National AIDS Council held its second meeting chaired by the Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka in her capacity as chair of SANAC. The meeting was also attended by the deputy chair Mr Mark Heywood, members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, including Ministers of Education Naledi Pandor and Public Service and Administration, Geraldine Fraser Moleketi, as well as the Deputy Minister of Social Development Jean Swanson-Jacobs and representatives of civil society organisations dealing with HIV and AIDS.

The meeting received progress reports on the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV and AIDS 2007 to 2011 from business, civil society and government sectors constituting SANAC. The sectors reported progress on the implementation of programmes and mobilisation for active participation in their sectors. In particular campaigns to encourage people to test for HIV and know their HIV status, as well as campaigns to popularise the NSP are becoming widespread.

Some sectors reported on meetings with various provincial AIDS councils. The faith based sector has extended participation in implementing the NSP to a wider range of faiths. Similarly, the business sector reported good progress on the implementation of the NSP including the sharing of good practice with respect to support to employees and their families and advances towards closer working relationships with the medical aid companies in plans to extend access to treatment.

Government's report highlighted the intervention programmes within the public sector ranging from employee assistance programmes to grants in support of child-headed families and vulnerable children. The presentation included a report on budgetary allocations for various aspects of the NSP. The Deputy President highlighted the working relationship with the house of traditional leaders who were critical in ensuring that the HIV intervention programmes were effective and are known to even more communities in South Africa. Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka indicated the need for SANAC to heighten messages linking HIV and AIDS with the 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse Campaign and called on all men to stand up, march and join the campaign.

Civil society raised concerns regarding the slow accreditation of health facilities that offer anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment and the need for an improved treatment regime for the prevention of mother to child HIV transmission. The Department of Health indicated that it was implementing strategies to improve accreditation. A new protocol on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) will be announced within two weeks.

At the end of the meeting the deputy chairperson of SANAC, Mr Mark Heywood, remarked that the SANAC meeting was an indication that the partnerships for the prevention and treatment of HIV were becoming more focused, targeted and effective. In his view SANAC was "beginning to play an important role in guiding the implementation of the NSP, advising the government and highlighting shortcomings with implementation." Much still needs to be done. In particular the meeting noted that:

* mass communication of the NSP's key activities needs to be undertaken
* there needs to be better co-ordination and improved collaboration concerning monitoring, evaluation and research.

The next meeting of the SANAC Programme Implementation Committee will look at these issues and is scheduled for 6 December 2007. The meeting was also briefed on the plans for the national celebrations of the World AIDS Day due to take place in Mahwelereng in Limpopo with provincial events around the country.

Enquiries:
Thabang Chiloane
The Presidency
Cell: 082 888 8783

Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS) on behalf of South African National AIDS Council
29 November 2007