Settings

Location Settings

News24 allows you to edit the display of certain components based on a location. If you wish to personalise the page based on your preferences, please select a location for each component and click "Submit" in order for the changes to take affect.

Govt steps up Aids fight

2009-12-01 13:21

Special Report

SA announces HIV drugs partnership

The South African government has announced a joint venture to reduce the cost of anti-retroviral drugs with a Swiss company.

Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday announced new measures to expand South Africa's response to HIV/Aids.

"All patients with both TB [tuberculosis] and HIV will get treatment with antiretrovirals if their CD4 count is 350 or less," Zuma said at a World Aids Day commemoration in Pretoria. The announcement was welcomed with loud cheers and applause.

At present, treatment was available for those whose CD4 count was under 200.

"TB and HIV/Aids will now be treated under one roof."

The president said "extraordinary measures" were needed to reverse the current trend of the disease in the country.

"This policy change will address early reported deaths arising from undetected TB infections among those who are infected with HIV."

Zuma said the steps came after it emerged that approximately one percent of the population had TB, and that co-infection between TB and HIV was 73%.

All pregnant HIV-positive women with a CD4 count of 350 would have access to treatment. At present HIV positive pregnant women are only eligible for treatment if their CD4 count is less that 200.

"All other pregnant women falling into this category... will be put on treatment at 14 weeks of pregnancy to protect the baby. In the past this was only done in the last term of the pregnancy."

In order to meet the need for testing and treatment, all health institutions would need to be ready to receive and assist patients, not just ARV-accredited centres. Anyone should be able to go into any health centre and ask for counselling, testing and even treatment if needed, he said. This would be effective from April 2010. Zuma said all institutions were "hard at work" to ensure systems were in place by March 31.

"What does all this mean? It means that we will be treating significantly larger numbers of HIV positive patients. It means that people will live longer and more fulfilling lives.

"What does it not mean? It does not mean that we should be irresponsible in our sexual practices," Zuma said to roaring applause.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi last month released "shocking" statistics on HIV/Aids, blaming the previous administration's tardy response to the disease for these.

- SAPA

Read more on: jacob zuma | world aids day | hiv aids

inside news24

PICS: Whitney's funeral

Friends and family say goodbye.
New Soapie Updates

Get the latest TV show forecasts right here, right NOW!
Quiz: Public holidays

How familiar are you with your days of rest? Take this quiz!
Top 5 smoking myths

Here is our pick of the top five myths about smoking.
Golf GTI 35 arrives

A special Golf GTI toasting 35 years of VW's iconic hot hatch is here.
5FM's Sasha speaks out

"I wasn't very happy." Sasha Martinengo speaks about leaving 5FM.
Hormonal pre-teen ahead!

How do you cope when hormones swamp your pre-teen?
Food and wine festivals

It's still summer and there is still a lot going on...

Tuesday	17-22°c	Sunny. Cool.
Wednesday	17-21°c	Sprinkles late. More sun than clouds. Cool.
Thursday	17-22°c	Sunny. Cool.
Friday	17-24°c	Sunny. Mild.
Saturday	18-25°c	Sunny. Mild.
Sunday	19-26°c	Sunny. Mild.

More weather from Weather24 >

Hello

Create Profile

Please provide a username for your profile page:

Hello

Choose a display name:

Edit your avatar:

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Saving your profile

Settings

Saving your settings

Facebook Sign-In

Monday 17-25°C

Govt steps up Aids fight

Special Report

Other Stories in Aids Focus...

inside news24

Welcome to News24

News in your area

Latest comment in South Africa

Sponsored links

Travel - Look, Book, Go!

Kalahari.com - shop online today

I'm shopping for:

featuredprofile

featuredevent

featuredgallery

featuredvideo

services