Prominent local and international scientists and authorities on HIV and AIDS are calling on all South Africans to support a consensus declaration that recommends actions for HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care.
It includes strong and rather radical, but well-researched interventions aimed at addressing the pandemic. Among others, it calls for the development of more and safer options of antiretroviral therapy (ART); encourages male circumcision to help prevent female-to-male HIV transmission; promotes breastfeeding by HIV positive mothers for whom safe alternative feeding is not an option; and requests a co-ordinated effort by civil society, researchers, and government to produce safe and effective vaccines and microbicides to prevent HIV infection.
The declaration was adopted at the 3rd South African AIDS Conference held in Durban in June, and covers, among others, aspects of the South African National Strategic Plan on HIV, AIDS and STIs 2007-2011 (NSP) on which clear consensus could not be reached.
More than 200 dedicated key roleplayers on HIV and AIDS participated in discussions before and during the AIDS Conference, which resulted in the drafting and adoption of the Durban II Declaration.
Mr Mark Heywood, the Deputy Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) accepted the Declaration on behalf of SANAC, and acknowledged that it was fully in keeping with the aims and objectives of the National Strategic Plan on HIV, AIDS and STIs, 2007-2011.
Thousands of doctors, nurses and other health care workers that deal with people affected by HIV and AIDS in South Africa have already been approached individually to commit to the principles and recommendations of the Durban II Declaration.
`HIV and AIDS affect all South Africans in one way or another. I urge everyone to become involved, access the Declaration on www.saaids.com and submit their support,' said Prof Jerry Coovadia, a Durban-based leading international authority on HIV and AIDS and one of the drafters of the Declaration.
Individuals and organisations can submit their support online at www.saaids.com or SMS the word Yes and their names to 34050. The cost of the SMS is R2.
More information: Magda Naudé +27 (0) 82 452 5878 or declaration@saaids.co.za
