South Africa unveils new 5-year HIV/AIDS plan

Abstract

The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) is to implement a new strategy on HIV/AIDS drawn up after exhaustive consultations embracing groups formerly snubbed by the government. The National Strategic Plan 2007 to 2011 which was more than 6 months in the making was frank about the scale of the HIV/AIDS crisis facing South Africa where some 5.54 million people or 18% percent of adults are estimated to be living with HIV and nearly 1000 people dying each day of the disease. "The South African HIV and AIDS epidemic is defined as a generalised one with ability to propagate on its own in the general population if unchecked" the strategic plan said acknowledging that mortality rates increased by 79% between 1997 and 2004 and mortality in children under 5 years rose from 65 to 75 deaths per 1000 births between 1990 and 2006. But the plan said the crisis was not insurmountable provided there were new partnerships more innovation decentralisation away from hospitals and a massive injection of funding. The draft plan was unveiled at the National HIV and AIDS Consultative Conference in March this year and was adopted on April 21 at a meeting of the newly reconstituted SANAC under the leadership of Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo Ncguka. (excerpt)