Submitted by freenet on Sat, 17/10/2009 - 01:25
CHANNELS:
By Proffesor Ndawonde
Pietermaritzburg - KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Finance, Ina Cronje, has called on people in the province to confront HIV and AIDS in a united front.
"We need to be people-driven, working together in a coordinated, cooperative way. We need to cut off the tentacles of this disease one by one in each corner of the province.
"As we all realise now that HIV and AIDS cannot be fought by professionals alone," the MEC said during the launch of the uMgungundlovu District Municipality AIDS Council, on Thursday.
"We literally want to reduce new HIV infections by 50 percent by 2011 and we mean it."
She added that the provincial government had developed the provincial strategic plan within the context of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) and aligned to the current HIV and AIDS and STI National Strategic Plan.
The provincial strategic plan consolidates the fight on HIV and AIDS through all three tiers of government (national, provincial and local), as well as faith-based and community-based organizations, business, traditional health practitioners and researchers.
According to the 2008 National Antenatal Sentinel HIV & Syphilis Prevalence survey, released by the National Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi recently, KwaZulu-Natal has consistently recorded the highest prevalence of HIV-infection among 15 to 49 year olds pregnant women in 2008- with 38.7 percent compared to the national average of 29 percent.
Cronje said that this meant that almost every second pregnant woman in the district was HIV positive.
"It is clear that - despite the great work by many people and institutions - efforts need to be streamlined and coordinated. This is exactly what the uMgungundlovu District Aids Council tends to do," she said.
The uMgungundlovu district recorded the highest prevalence of 45.7 percent among all districts.
Referring to the newly launched council, Cronje said the district councils play a significant role in coordinating, mainstreaming and aligning all greater district municipal services delivery output.
She emphasized that the council is close to the communities and engages across section of target groups, ranging from traditional healers to youth groups.
"It also works with communities in a participatory way through community HIV and AIDS committees established at ward-level. More regular dialogue will build consistent, united efforts in fighting HIV," the MEC said.
She added that there were many positive stories about people living with HIV, who have turned the death sentence around to a disease that can be managed.
"They did not do it on their own; together we can build caring communities." - BuaNews