MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT INTENSIFIES MEASURES TO FIGHT HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC

30 July 2021

The Mpumalanga Provincial Government is putting measures in place to reduce the infection rate of HIV/AIDS. According to the Thembisa 4.4 Estimate model, Mpumalanga recorded a total of 746 915 total number of people living with HIV in 2020. A total of 18 473 new HIV infections were recorded in the same year. Most of these infections relate to adolescent girls and young women, aged 15 to 24 years. Seventy six thousand new infections were recorded last year.

These emerged during a virtual meeting of the Mpumalanga Provincial AIDS Council (MPAC), chaired by Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane. In attendance were MPAC members including MECs, Executive Mayors, Councillors Heads of Departments, Municipal Managers, Developmental Partners and Civil Society.

Mpumalanga has dropped from two (2) to four (4) amongst the provinces with a high prevalence of the pandemic. This drop has propelled the Provincial Government to stem the tide against HIV and AIDS until new HIV and TB infections are eliminated.

More focus will be on multisectoral collaboration with funding Agencies like US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Global Fund, USAID, Civil Society, South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), Business Sector, House of Traditional Leaders and the community at large.

Mtshweni-Tsipane says the District and Local AIDS Councils are key structures for coordination of multisectoral response at a local and community levels. “We need to align MPAC to strategic deliverables with the District Development Model. This will require the District Councils to form a material part of the costing and budgeting for purposes of the Provincial Implementation Plan,” the Premier said.

MPAC was launched in 2007 in response to the National Strategic Plan to stem the tide against HIV and AIDS. Mpumalanga was rated second then after KwaZulu-Natal in terms of HIV/AIDS prevalence countrywide. The Premier said the achievement of the proposed measures lie in the participation of all, through a multi-sectoral approach which involve the private sector, availing its resources and facilities. “We encourage all representatives to work together with us to ensure that the pandemic is defeated and that a developmental crisis of unimaginable proportions is averted,” she said.

The next sitting of the MPAC is scheduled for September this year, to assess progress.

ENDS…


Issued by the Mpumalanga Provincial Government

Enquiries

(A) Provincial Government Spokesperson: George Mthethwa
Tel: (013) 766 2242
Mobile: 083 302 2774
E-mail: gpmthethwa@mpg.gov.za