BY REGINALD KANYANE

THE residents of North West were advised to take necessary measures in reducing HIV-Aids in the province. North West health department recently hosted a two-day HIV Prevention Summit in Mahikeng on Saturday. The department convened with a number of stakeholders.

North West health MEC, Magome Masike said the purpose of the summit was to discuss a strategic plan to strengthen the HIV prevention.

“This is a plan that has directed efforts, campaigns and messages for HIV prevention thus far. The plan is driven by a long term vision for the country concerning the HIV and TB epidemics. A 20 year vision is to have zero new HIV and TB infections. In order to achieve our vision, we will use a combination of approaches to prevent increase. We will initiate at least 80% of eligible patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART). We aiming also to reduce the number of new TB infections as well as deaths from TB by 50%,” Masike said.

He said HIV prevalence in the province was estimated at 13.9% in 2012. North West was listed as the fourth highest province in the country. Masike said that HIV continues to affect young women, particularly 15 years and older.

“A great concern for the province is that people under the age of 15 years continued to be infected over a period of three years. The province experienced a prevalence rate of 20.0% currently. However the distribution of the prevalence showed decrease among the four districts. Dr Kenneth Kaunda district showed decreased from 37.0% in 2010 to 36, 0% in 2011 and 29.1% in 2012. Bojanala district recorded an increase from 29.3% in 2010 to 33.9% in 2011 to 35% in 2012. It is now the highest in the province,” he said.

Masike said: “We have adopted the combination HIV prevention approach to HIV prevention. This approach combines elements of HIV prevention interventions from three broad categories of interventions. We are looking at biomedical, socio-behavioral and structural interventions. More specific and targeted, evidence-based combination prevention are needed to achieve the long-term goal. More emphasis and focus should be on the high transmission areas and on key population. It is very important to make sure that HIV prevention interventions are there in each district.

“Interventions need to be taken into account underlying socio-cultural, economic, political, legal and other contextual factors. We have made a number of interventions and efforts to reduce new infections which thus far include HIV counseling and testing. The initiative plan to teach patients on ARV treatment to prevent a mother to child transmission. The distribution of male and female condoms, also to advise men to undergo medical male circumcision.

“Some progress has been made against poverty, unemployment and inequality at levels that will have a meaningful protective effect on the spread of HIV. However, to address HIV prevention among youth, the department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has established the Higher Education and Training HIV/ AIDS (HEAIDS) programme. As a national facility, it will develop and support HIV mitigation programmes at South Africa’s public-sector Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).” Masike said.

-TDN

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