|
Dept meets Aids care target
31/03/2005 20:44 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The department of health has met its target of establishing a service point for HIV/Aids-related care in 53 districts, said a spokesperson on Thursday.
The completion of accreditation for the comprehensive plan for management, care and treatment of the disease comes at the same time as an education labour relations council study results.
The study showed about 4 000 teachers died last year, and about 23 000 more were living with HIV.
Earlier this month, the agricultural attaché of the Netherlands estimated that between 30% to 45% of agriculture workers in South Africa were HIV-positive.
Statistician-general Pali Lehohla said data provided indirect evidence that the HIV/Aids pandemic in South Africa was raising the mortality levels of prime-aged adults, with Aids-related diseases being on the increase.
122 health facilities around SA
The accreditation of the Kuruman Hospital on Wednesday saw the department achieve its goal of having the sites set up, inspected and accredited by March 31.
Although the sites had the capacity to treat 53 000 people at 122 health facilities throughout South Africa, actual numbers being treated were still being verified.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said: "Although it has not been easy, the accreditation process has been a valuable process in ensuring there is an equitable distribution of services across the country right from the beginning of implementation of this programme."
Nathan Geffen of the Treatment Action Campaign said that although the department did not appear to be meeting its targets on the numbers of people to be treated, the completion of the accreditation process was "a positive sign that progress had picked up and improved".
During the setting-up process, 250 laboratories were certified to provide support to the programme and three pharmacovigilance centres were established to monitor and investigate adverse reaction to treatment.
Antiretroviral drug tender
More than 1 060 health professionals were recruited to support the programme and more than 7 600 health personnel were trained in the management, care and treatment of HIV/Aids.
The department said the antiretroviral drug tender was awarded to seven pharmaceutical companies earlier in March and all accredited facilities had adequate supplies.
The tender for inventory management and a tracker system to allow tracking of patients between facilities and provinces was being evaluated.
Patients tested positive for tuberculosis or HIV/Aids would be assessed for their nutritional needs and those who qualified would be given nutritional supplements and multivitamins.
Privately run sites already were being run by a number of Non-Governmental Organisations.
|
News
HIV/Aids Special Report
