SOUTH AFRICA: HIV/AIDS THREATENS SOUTH AFRICA'S FUTURE

Consensus Statement of National HIV/AIDS Treatment
Congress, June 29th 2002

Between June 27th and 29th 2002, 750 delegates from all
over SA attended the TAC/COSATU National Treatment
Congress. Delegates heard presentations from many of
South Africa's leading HIV scientists but also the day-to-day
experiences of the epidemic of nurses, doctors and people
with living with HIV/AIDS. Delegates heard of many of the
best practices South Africans are using to combat the
epidemic, but there was also a belief that most people with
HIV are not receiving adequate treatment, care and support.
Also, that HIV is already having a dramatic and negative
impact on the health service.

After two days of deliberations the Congress came to the
following conclusions:

The HIV epidemic has created an emergency in SA. This
emergency threatens South Africa's future by creating more
poverty and impacting negatively on our ability to
reconstruct and develop SA to the benefit of all of its people.
A national HIV/AIDS Treatment Plan is needed to combat
this emergency. A treatment plan will strengthen the existing
5-year strategic plan, which concentrates mainly on
prevention.

The Congress believes that the following principles must be
accepted in dealing with this emergency.

1. Partnership that recognises the value of every HIV
infection prevented, and the value of every life that is
prolonged and improved through access to
treatment.
2. Recognition of the dignity and equality of every
person living with HIV/AIDS as the basis to eliminate
stigma and discrimination.
3. Every person has the human right of access to
health care.
4. That there is a need to boldly take advantage of the
best scientific knowledge about HIV/AIDS, including
treatments for HIV. People in the developed world
should not be the only people who benefit from
breakthroughs in medicine.
5. That there is a need for investment in public health
service including eradication of inequities between
provinces, districts and communities.

The Congress felt that the HIV crisis and the crisis in the
health sector is being made worse by economic policies,
notably GEAR, that have taken resources away from health
and other public sectors. Also delegates believed strongly
that government spending should be driven by the needs of
poor people, and not by those of the armed forces, the
World Bank or the IMF.

Although the Congress aimed to develop a National
Treatment Plan for South Africa it was also recognised that
HIV/AIDS is a grave threat to all the people of Africa. We
valued the participation of delegates, including leaders of
people with HIV, from Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique and Malawi. Delegates
resolved to demand that the NEPAD plan include clear
measures for the treatment and prevention of HIV and
programmes for rapid public-sector driven alleviation of
poverty. Later in 2002 TAC and COSATU will organise and
host a meeting of people from other African countries to
strengthen and unify demands for access for treatment and
the improvement of health services.

The Congress was alarmed by reports it received of the
collapse of health services in many rural areas, particularly
Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and Northern Province.
Doctors, nurses and people with HIV called for a rural health
services rescue plan - this would necessitate urgent
interventions by the government supported by all the civil
society organisations and the private health sector to rebuild
health care in these areas. Strong calls were made for
accountability and dismissal of politicians and civil servants
who are responsible for the collapse of health care
services, especially in Mpumalanga.

Congress called for a new partnership between the national
health department, provincial health departments and civil
society organisations. The objective of this partnership is to
save lives. Delegates strongly welcomed the participation of
Dr Nono Simelela, Chief Director HIV/AIDS and STDs and
KwaZulu Natal MEC for Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize. Delegates
responded to the call from Dr Mkhize for a new partnership
of community mobilisation for health by calling for a national
day of community action against AIDS on August 8th 2002 -
agreed to commit organisations to this campaign.

In particular Congress supported the continuation of the
SANAC, but called for it to be made more representative,
accountable, transparent and dynamic. Congress also
called for SANAC to be given resources and independence
from politicians that is necessary to properly tackle the
epidemic.

The Congress broke into commissions which made
detailed recommendations for inclusion in a national
treatment plan in the following areas:

1. Piloting Anti-Retroviral Treatment and diagnostics in
the Public Service
2. Treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and
Opportunistic Infections: targeting vulnerable groups
such as women and children
3. Cutting the Costs of Medicines and Diagnostics -
investing in public health care
4. Doctors, nurses, volunteers: Building capacity and
will to treat HIV
5. Improving Prevention Information, Encouraging VCT
- a special role for young people
6. Social Campaigns to Support a Treatment Plan: the
BIG campaign, extending access to child welfare
grants, workplace policies
7. Youth

In conclusion delegates recommitted themselves to fighting
to prevent new HIV infections, saving lives and improving
the dignity and quality of life of all people in South Africa, the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the
African Union. The doors of health care services shall be
opened!

Coastlands Conference Centre, Durban, June 29th 2002

Patrick Craven and Moloto Mothapo
Acting COSATU Spokespersons

[email protected]
082-821-7456
339-4911