Pretoria - The South African National Aids Council (Sanac) is to hold a series of dialogues around HIV and Aids ahead of the development of a new National Strategic Plan (NSP).
The current National Strategic Plan for HIV and Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) for 2007-2011, will end next year and will be replaced with a revamped HIV and Aids, STI and TB Strategic Plan 2012-2016.
The primary aims of the 2007-2011 plan were to reduce new HIV infections by 50 percent by 2011 and reduce the impact of HIV and Aids on individuals, families and communities. It also set to reduce new infections among young people in the 15 to 24 age group.
As part of the dialogues, Cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, provincial executive committees, mayors and councilors are expected to visit public health facilities and engaging with people on the ground to better understand their needs and challenges around HIV and Aids. The process will run until June 2011.
"These events will begin a process that will assist Sanac and the Department of Health to ensure that input from all sectors of society is considered when we develop the next [plan], the blueprint which will guide South Africa on the journey towards an Aids free society," said Sanac.
The dialogues also form part of the continuation of the World Aids Day campaign. Government aims to reach a target of testing 15 million people for HIV by June 2011 through the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign, which was launched by President Jacob Zuma in April.
Each month, the dialogues have a new theme. November focused on gender-based violence against women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities, and the overall impact it has on local communities.
December will be themed "Responsible behavior", building on the 2009 World AIDS Day theme "I am responsible".
In anticipation of the February HIV, HCT schools campaign, January's dialogues, which will be themed "Back to School", will focus on learners, youth and the school communities at large.
"In addition to the standard outreach that will be done, the Department of Basic Education and several youth oriented NGOs and organisations will also be involved," Sanac said.
Sexual and reproductive health will be in the spotlight in February. With the announcement of STI/condom week in mid-February, the dialogues will be held under the theme "Sexual and Reproductive Health" and will including testing with one's partner and safer sex.
Themed "World TB Day", the dialogues in March will focus on the importance of both TB and HIV, and the importance of TB testing as part of the routine HIV test.
April's dialogues will focus on HIV counselling and testing. Multiple candlelight memorials will be held in May to raise awareness of the HCT campaign.
The Youth Month, June, will be used to mobilise the youth to know their status before the end of the HCT campaign.
After June, government will turn its focus on the results of the dialogues across the country. A national conference is expected to be convened in July.
