Press Statement
For Immediate Release
10 November 2022
This year’s World Aids Day (WAD) will be hosted in the Mangaung Metro on 1 December 2022, with the South African National AIDS Council Civil Society Forum (SANAC CSF) Sectors hosting a series of social mobilisation events in the build up to the day, led by the People Living with HIV Sector (PLHIV).
This 2-day event will start with the policy in action activities on 30 November 2022, a convening of community stakeholders affected and infected by HIV and AIDS to directly engage with relevant policy makers and, in particular, the ministers linked to these, on issues that exacerbate and impact on their vulnerability to health and wellness. These are learning and accountability spaces that advocate for specific social, policy and programme reforms in service of a multi-sector community centred HIV and AIDS response.
The World AIDS Day will take place through a stadium-based event where the Deputy President David Mabuza and Civil Society Chairperson Steve Letsike, (in their capacity as SANAC Co-Chairpersons), joined by the Premier of the Host Province and other stakeholders, will communicate various messages through speeches that report on progress being made, and strategies to address challenges that remain in the HIV and AIDS response.
“For this World AIDS Day the PLHIV sector, working together with the Civil Society Forum and Government, are joining hands to turn around the situation of the country’s HIV and AIDS response, and as such we are saying, the day should not be just about the first of December, but about ensuring that health care services meant for people living with HIV and key populations are improved to ensure that no one is left behind”, says Anele Yawa, CSF PLHIV Sector leader.
He adds that this year’s World AIDS Day is about bringing health care services to people at their doorsteps especially because the Free State Province has been identified as one of the provinces with high rates of new HIV infections, missing people from health care and issues of low adherence to ARV’s and TB treatment. Social mobilisation activities by CSF sectors will kick off on the second week of November at each of the 5 Free State Districts – Mangaung, Fezile Dabi, Thabo Mofutsanyana,
Lejweleputswa, and Xhariep.
During the first and second weeks of November 2022 the PLHIV sector will hold consultation meetings with District Civil Society Forum members, Free State PLHIV Sector members, Health MEC and HOD as well as the PCA Head of secretariat in Mangaung to table our joint plan, set targets for our interventions and agree on areas of support.
On the third week of November 2022, with the support of the political leadership, (CSF, Free State MEC for health, Premier’s Office, Provincial Council on AIDS and District AIDS Council), the PLHIV Sector will conduct community outreach activities through door to doors, person to person engagements to provide health services such as TB screening, HIV testing and tracking people who have defaulted on HIV and TB treatment with the view to link them back to care. The focus will be on taking service to the people and making sure than no one is left behind.
The last week of November will be dedicated to monitoring the District AIDS Response to assess and understand the underlying systematic and societal issues that contributes towards the poor performance of the district on their AIDS response. Findings will be compiled into a report that will be submitted to the Deputy President to speak to during WA D and will also inform interventions post WAD by various stakeholders.
“It is a privilege to be prioritised by the Country to host this biggest and important World AIDS Day commemoration for the Free State Province. This means that service delivery will go right to the doorsteps of communities who really need it, through many
social mobilization activities that will be taking place across the province to encourage communities to take issues of HIV and AIDS very seriously” says Siphiwe Mokoena, CSF Provincial Chairperson for Free State.
“Most importantly this 2022 WAD commemoration will address high rates of HIV prevalence among youth and women in Mangaung Metro and encourage men to seek and get health services from various facilities. This is not only for the high burdened District of Mangaung, but the in entire Free State Province”, he adds.
The Global Theme for World AIDS Day 2022 is “Equalise” and South Africa will announce its country theme during November 2022.
#ENDS#
For all Media enquiries: Contact: Nthateng Mhlambiso – CSF Communications Officer
Email: nthateng@sanaccsf.org.za Tel: 012 784 1000 Mobile: +27 72 715 5425
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