South Africa Assesses Progress in Fight Against AIDS
28 November 2010
The silhouette of an 18-year-old South African orphan, whose mother died of AIDS when he was 14 (file photo)
South Africa's President Jacob Zuma one year ago announced what he called a new era in his government's fight against the HIV/AIDS virus.
"To take our response a step forward, we are launching a massive campaign to mobilize all South Africans to get tested for HIV. Every South African should know his or her HIV status."
Mr. Zuma said 15 million people would be tested for HIV in the next year, treatment programs would be expanded and a major prevention campaign would be launched.
He also called for a change of attitude toward the disease. "Let there be no more shame, no more blame, no more discrimination and no more stigma. Let the politicization and endless debates about HIV and AIDS stop," said Zuma.
This represented a dramatic shift in policy from the previous government (of Thabo Mbeki) which downplayed the seriousness of the epidemic. Critics said it caused hundreds of thousands of needless deaths.
AIDS activist Mark Heywood is deputy chairman of South Africa's National AIDS Council. He says nearly four million people have been tested in the past eight months and the number of people receiving treatment has doubled.
"There are many, many positives. But having stressed the positives I also want to say that HIV remains a massive challenge for this country," he said.
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