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South Africa has the largest ARV programme worldwide, says Health Minister
Department of Health www.doh.gov.za
2007-11-30

Health Minister, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has welcomed the recognition of South Africa as one of the 17 countries that are on track towards meeting the United Nations 2010 target in the provision of antiretroviral treatment for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT).

These findings clearly demonstrate our commitment as government to meet fighting HIV and AIDS vigorously and meeting the global targets in this regard. We also can proudly say that we have enrolled the largest number of people on ARVs worldwide. We are determined to do everything possible to protect women and children from HIV infection and to offer a comprehensive package of care and treatment to those who are infected and affected, said Minister Tshabalala-Msimang. 

The Minister was reacting to the findings of the 2007 Report Card on PMTCT and Peadiatric HIV Care and Treatment in Low-and Middle Income countries presented at the Global Partners Forum on PMTCT which was in Johannesburg on 26 November 2007. In her opening address to the forum, Minister Tshabalala-Msimang said SA has expanded PMTCT programme to over 90% of our public health facilities in an effort to attain global targets in addressing HIV and AIDS. All antenatal clients are offered PMTCT services as part of a comprehensive approach to maternal, child and women's health services. Antenatal attendance is high at about 80% and all these women are provided with appropriate counseling. All pregnant women testing HIV positive are offered CD4 count testing. Women with CD4 counts below 200 are offered antiretroviral treatment, said Minister Tshabalala-Msimang. She said South Africa is proud to be a country with the largest number antiretroviral treatment programme in the world. 

More than 370 000 people had been initiated on antiretroviral therapy by September 2007. More than 32 000 of these are children under 14 years, said Minister Tshabalala-Msimang. She said this rapid expansion of AIDS programmes was becoming possible because of Government commitment of significant amount of resources into a response to HIV and AIDS with 90% of national AIDS programmes financed by government. During the period of our first National Strategic (2000-2005), the annual budget allocation for HIV and AIDS increased from R200 million to R1.2 billion. For Health Department alone, the budget is standing at R2.1 billion for this financial year. When you add other government expenditure relating to HIV and AIDS, the total government HIV and AIDS budget rises to R4 billion for the current financial year, said Minister Tshabalala-Msimang.

The PMTCT High-Level Global Partners Forum 2007 - Report Card Executive Summary has been posted on the DOH web site in two parts: 
http://www.doh.gov.za/docs/reports/2007/mtct/part1.pdf  and
http://www.doh.gov.za/docs/reports/2007/mtct/part2.pdf 

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