South Africa needs to reduce the rate of HIV transmission amongst its youth, says Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Speaking at the 7th South African Aids Conference, in Durban, the Deputy President said the results of a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) survey raised a deep concern about the rate of new HIV infections in the country.
A quarter of new HIV infections in the world occur in South Africa, sadly.
The HSRC survey also showed that one in four of these new infections occurs among young women and girls between the ages of 15 and 24.
“We need to dramatically reduce the rate of HIV transmission among the youth,” said the Deputy President on Tuesday.
The Deputy President’s comments come as South Africa is commemorating Youth Month.
These young women, he said, are the future of South Africa.
“If we fail them, as a nation we fail. We must develop new and innovative responses that address the specific needs of young women,” said Deputy President Ramaphosa.
The high HIV infection rates among young women had much to do with the behaviour of men.
“It has much to do with how men of that age – and older – relate to women. It has much to do with the forms that social interaction takes and how sexual relations are conducted. It calls for greater awareness, greater respect and greater responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, prevention strategies need to focus on sex workers with work having been started on a national HIV prevention programme among sex workers.
“We have suspected for a long time that HIV prevalence in this sector is much higher than the general population. While we have a few programmes that targets this sector, we must rapidly scale up access to prevention, treatment and care, and support for sex workers.”
South Africa has the biggest HIV treatment programme in the world with more than 3 million people on life-saving antiretrovirals.
“Simply put, as a country we cannot afford not to invest in HIV prevention, treatment and care. More than 1 in 5 people with HIV in the world live in our country.”
South Africa has about 450 000 new HIV infections and 360 000 new TB infections each year.
“That is a challenge that lies ahead of all of us. Not only for the government, but for each one of us seated in this hall today because we are all implicated and we are all involved. None of us escapes this challenge. Together we must confront it,” explained the Deputy President.
Last year, more than 700 million male condoms were distributed. In addition, more than1.6 million medical male circumcisions were conducted in public facilities since 2010.
The Deputy President also took time to thank those who diligently take their drugs as well as those who come forward to be tested for HIV and screened for TB.
“We must thank those who use condoms as a matter of course and a matter of principle.
“We must thank those who take responsibility for themselves and responsibility for others. By taking responsibility they are saving the nation.”
South Africa will be hosting the 21st International AIDS Conference next year. –SAnews.gov.za
