Pretoria - Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe has reaffirmed the country's commitment to realising an HIV and AIDS-free generation despite declining revenues.
Addressing delegates at the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Motlanthe said that even in the face of declining revenues, South Africa continues to make the investments necessary and are working hard to ensure that it is proportionate to the response that is required.
The country has seen a dramatic improvement in the Prevention-of-Mother-to-Child-Transmission (PMTCT) programme and access to Anti-Retroviral Treatment, which is provided to over 80 percent of diagnosed mothers.
"The global AIDS reports show how much this investment has made in realising the right to health, we cannot let up now and allow the recession to take precedence over the right to health and the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," Motlanthe told delegates.
He also stressed the need to strengthen the collective response by ensuring that aid for AIDS does not result in the creation of parallel policy, parallel governance and procurement systems in the recipient countries.
"Rather, we should allow for country-led interventions that strengthen capacity in the respective countries, we need renewed commitment for consistent, sustained and predictable financing mechanisms," Motlanthe said.
He added that now was not the time to disinvest in health. "We are pleased that the Global Fund has invested $10.5 trillion into the response thus far, we must all stay on course!"
UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidib, warned that now was not the time for countries to flat-line, but instead scale up and face up to their responsibilities to show integrity to keep their commitments.
"We cannot settle for a world where some people get treatment while others do not, where some enjoy access to prevention while others are criminalised for who they are and who they love, where some are offered hope while the hope of others is crushed.
"We want nothing less than zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths," Sidib, said.
The conference, which started on Sunday, is being held under the theme: "Rights here, Right Now".
