10 June 2009

DESPITE the challenges experienced, the Ekurhuleni Municipality has made huge strides in achieving the goals of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV/Aids.

Speaking at the municipality's HIV/Aids Indaba on Tuesday 9 June, Executive Director for Health in the municipality Imogen Mashazi said since the launch of the NSP in 2007 more than 400 000 people have been reached.

"Through the NSP, which includes ward-based door-to-door campaigns, the municipality had also recruited 202 volunteers from 88 wards, who have reached 470 567 people," Dr Mashazi said.

The campaign includes volunteers, who educate communities on HIV/Aids and help identify patients that are sick and need medical health care as well as hospital referrals.

The municipality has also created 15 comprehensive care, management and treatment (CCMT) sites including public health centres and 14 down referral sites.

The annual HIV/Aids Indaba aims to examine the municipality's successes and challenges in the implementation of the NSP.

NSP, which is a five year plan to help South Africa deal with HIV/Aids, aims to cut the number of new infections by half in 2011 and ensure that at least eight out of 10 people living with the virus have access to services that will help them to live longer and healthier lives.

Dr Mashazi further said the municipality was involved in other initiatives to achieve the NSP goals such as HIV/Aids education at schools and at the workplace.

"We have also started high school debates on AIDS, work place HIV/Aids policy review, referral course on HIV/Aids for peer educators, which is making good progress," Dr Mashazi said.

The municipality has also established a partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundations' 46664, African Musicians against HIV/Aids, New Star and Right to Care.

The HIV/Aids programme including sexually transmitted infection (STI) and Tuberculosis (TB) has also been integrated, which help counselors to do counseling for people who come to health care facilities with STIs, Dr Mashazi said.

Dr Mashiza, however, noted that there are still challenges facing the municipality in achieving the NSP goals including shortage of medication, irregular payment of stipends for lay counselors and the overflow of patients at the CCMT sites.

Other challenges are TB and ART treatment interruption, shortage of counselors, under utilisation of the VCT sites and increasing multi drug resistant TB.

During the indaba, the municipality also launched the Ekurhuleni AIDS Council which includes civic organisations, traditional healers, sports men, people living with HIV and AIDS, medical practitioners, academic practitioners, representatives from faith based sector and researchers.

The AIDS Council will have the similar functions of the South African National AIDS Council but at a local level.

Source: BuaNews
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