CAPE TOWN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- To ensure the success in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the South African government is working hard to ensure that all sectors of society be brought on track, Deputy President David Mabuza said on Tuesday.
The fight against HIV/AIDS and related tuberculoisis (TB) calls for a holistic intervention by all sectors of society and leaders across the government and business, Mabuza told MPs as he appeared in Parliament for a Q&A session.
This includes the National Assembly which must also incorporate programs developed by the Department of Health into its own program and that of MPs for their constituency work, Mabuza said.
"Against the backdrop of approximately 270,000 people who are newly infected with HIV every year, it is critical to prioritize, and upscale prevention measures in the same way we deal with HIV and TB treatment," the deputy president said.
South Africa currently puts 4.2 million people on antiretroviral treatment.
The renewed focus on prevention will assist in ensuring that almost 48 million South Africans who are HIV negative remain so, with more babies born HIV-free, he said.
The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) remains a national institution around which all South Africans have rallied to respond to HIV/AIDS, TB and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Mabuza said.
"The SANAC is at the center of all our national efforts to contain and reverse the spread of HIV and AIDS," he said.
South Africa's National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs (2017-2022) has placed prevention as the first goal with the bold target of reducing new HIV infections by more than 60 percent and cutting TB incidence by at least 30 percent.
The SANAC, however, cannot do this alone, Mabuza said.
"Each and every South African has a role to play, and I urge you all to throw your support behind our National AIDS Council, the new CEO and his team as we push this new Prevention Revolution," he said.
South Africa, which has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world, intends to test and treat at least 6.2 million people with HIV by 2020.
