Cape (Reuters) – South Africa town wants that its rate of new HIV-infected go down at least 50% in the next five years and for this will try to improve its recent achievements, after years of failures to control AIDS and the increase in mortality, said Thursday President Jacob Zuma.
Former President Thabo Mbeki was criticised for not taking AIDS seriously, leaving South Africa with one of the largest populations of infected with HIV in the world.
But since then, the country has achieved some successes with a reduction of 50 per cent in the transmission of HIV from mother to children between 2008 and 2010 due to improved access to antiretroviral drugs.
More than 13 million people became the checks of the virus since April of the year after a rigorous government campaign.
“Have achieved many successes in the fight against HIV and AIDS, in South Africa and globally”, said Zuma before releasing the second plan AIDS will be developed between 2012 and 2016.
The National Strategic Plan, among other goals, seeks to reduce new infections with HIV at least by half, down the number of people affected by tuberculosis (TB) and deaths related to this disease by a similar margin and have at least 80 per cent of eligible patients for antiretroviral treatment.
“Cannot treat HIV and tuberculosis of separately”, Zuma said and added that the new emphasis, non-existent in the previous campaign is in great need due to the high rate of co-infection of the two diseases.
The new plan also identifies sexual violence and intimidation of women as a key factor in the spread of HIV/AIDS.
“Recent in South Africa Research shows that we can prevent HIV infection if young women are not subject to violence or intimidation on the part of their partners,” said Zuma.
