'There's progress with Aids'
2007-12-01 14:42
Special Report
The South African government has announced a joint venture to reduce the cost of anti-retroviral drugs with a Swiss company.
Johannesburg - There has been great progress in the response to HIV and Aids and few setbacks, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Saturday.
Speaking at World Aids Day commemorations in Mokopane, Limpopo, Tshabalala-Msimang pointed out that the setbacks have been in the area of research.
Two clinical trials - one on HIV vaccines and another on microbicides - conducted in the country were stopped because of the potential risk of HIV infection to participants.
"These incidents requires that we move forward with caution and ensure that people are [not] exposed to unnecessary risk in the process of seeking new interventions against HIV and Aids."
"The other difficult situation we had to engage in was the recalling of condoms that were approved by the South African Bureau of Standard (SABS) while they were not conforming to the quality standards," she said.
While the media reported about possible legal action relating to the use of these condoms, she said that by Friday there was no record of such action.
"The department will respond accordingly once such correspondence is received."
The minister said the SABS, responsible for assurance of the quality of condoms, reported that extensive controls and verifications had been implemented throughout the testing and certification process to ensure that all condoms complied with the standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
'Decrease of HIV prevalence'
She said aside from these challenges, affecting particularly prevention interventions, there had been a decrease of the prevalence of HIV in the country.
"The report of the 2006 antenatal survey results released this year showed a decrease in the prevalence of HIV amongst pregnant women who use public health facilities. It is down to 29.1% in 2006 compared to 30.2% in 2005."
The report indicated that this decline was mainly among people between the ages of 15 and 24 years.
"The decline in the under 20s from 15.9% in 2005 to 13.7% in 2006, in particular suggests a possible reduction in new infections in the population."
Tshabalala-Msimang said an important component of prevention was the programme to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT).
She said the report released by United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) last week listed South Africa amongst 17 low and middle income countries set to achieve the UN 2010 target of reducing mother to child infections.
There was a need to strengthen the capacity to follow up on the babies that have been part of the PMTC programme.
New treatment guidelines
"The implementation of the new treatment guidelines is going to be phased in taking into consideration expansion of training of health professionals on the new protocol and mobilisation of additional resources for procurement of the additional stock of drugs."
She said there were more than 4 000 voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) covering about 90% of clinics across the country.
She said encouraging VCT was crucial in assisting those who test negative to remain that way and to enable those living with HIV to access the comprehensive package of care, support and treatment that government has made available.
"The package of care includes promotion of healthy lifestyles including good nutrition which is important in maintaining optimal health and prolonging progression from HIV infection to development of Aids defining conditions."
She said that a directorate has been established in the department of health to develop a national policy on traditional medicine.
"This directorate is also responsible for promotion of research and development of African traditional medicines including those that show a potential to alleviate conditions relating to HIV and Aids."
The minister said more than 370 000 people had been initiated on antiretroviral therapy by September this year and more than 32 000 of these patients were children under 14 years.
- SAPA