ACDP optimistic about SA’s progress in fight against HIV but cautiously so re TB

MEDIA RELEASE 
Cheryllyn Dudley MP
22 April 2013

ACDP optimistic about SA’s progress in fight against HIV but cautiously so re TB
• mother-to-child HIV transmission shows dramatic improvement 
• TB remains a significant challenge
"The ACDP is optimistic about South Africa’s progress in the fight against HIV but cautiously so in the case of TB.
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe chaired a meeting of the South African National Aids Council in Mpumalanga on Friday, 19 April 2013 where it was agreed that a new campaign will be launched this year to encourage South Africans to test for HIV at least once a year.

ACDP MP and Health spokesperson said today that “testing for HIV is very important - it is the only way to find out if you have HIV or not and will put people in touch with immediate help and treatment. Everyone can help make this the norm rather than the exception!” 

A milestone in the country’s response to HIV and AIDS is the new fixed drug combination (FDCs) anti-retroviral therapy. FDC therapy is a combination of three crucial anti-retroviral medications in one tablet, taken only once a day - eliminating the need for patients to take three or more pills at various intervals per day.
The National Strategic Plan (NSP 2012 – 2016) for HIV, TB and STIs, aims to have three (3) million people on ARV treatment by 2015. Currently, 1.9 million people are on treatment. 
“The ACDP is very pleased that over the past few years the rate of mother-to-child HIV transmission has shown a dramatic improvement dropping from 8 % to 2.7 % between 2008 and 2012.” 
“TB remains a significant challenge though –we know that the majority of people living with HIV are co-infected with TB and we know that unless people commit diligently to taking and completing their treatment, drug resistance increases and TB will continue to take a heavy toll.” 

The goal is to reduce TB incidence and mortality caused by TB in people living with HIV by 50 % by 2015 – to do this government will need the maximum participation by NGOs and other civil society networks. 
SANAC also approved plans to launch an HIV prevention programme aimed at sex workers. “Sex workers are one of the groups at increased risk of contracting HIV and need targeted interventions” - details of the programme will be released closer to the launch.