Mpumalanga Provincial Government hosts gala dinner on World Aids Day
The awards handed over during the gala dinner recognises the role of the Mpumalanga councils in the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Government hosted a gala dinner to present awards of appreciation to the best performing district and local Aids councils on Friday December 1. The awards recognise the role of the councils in the fight against the spread of HIV/Aids.
During the event, the MEC for health, Sasekani Manzini, said the Gert Sibande District has shown a significant drop in people who tested positive for HIV/Aids, according to a recent survey.
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“The district recorded a high prevalence of HIV/Aids five years ago. The significant drop is attributed to, among others, the effectiveness of the district’s Aids Council,” she said.
The Gert Sibande District was awarded for this outcome.Ehlanzeni and Nkangala districts were awarded certificates and trophies in various categories for their efforts in the fight against HIV/Aids. These include various local municipalities.
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Manzini said the war against this disease requires an aggressive campaign and programmes to mobilise men to test for it. She encouraged everyone, especially men, to test for their status. She said that knowing one’s status is key to getting treatment, rather than risking living with an infection without knowing it, until the point that the condition gets out if control. She urged hospital authorities to pursue criminal cases against those men who impregnate young girls and infect them.
