World AIDS Day: NHC Task Team should investigate the rate of new infections
1 December 2015
The DA today, on World AIDS Day, urges Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, to constitute a National Health Commission (NHC) task group to investigate the causes of intergenerational transactional sex and the poor rate of condom use among youth South Africans. To this end the NHC must table its findings and recommendations to stave off the rapidly increasing rate of new infections.
That there are more than 3.2 million people in SA who are currently on ARVs is a remarkable achievement – but the dark side of the story remains: that we have not managed to break the cycle of new infections.
There are still hundreds of thousands of new infections every year, with the SA National Aids Council (SANAC) confirming that there were 337 000 new infections in 2014, and an estimated average of 300 000 new infections every year.
The new infection rate is the biggest challenge that faces South Africa’s fight against HIV/Aids now. While new infections are taking place in all age groups and in all parts of our country, of particular concern are young women between the ages of 15 and 24. Alarmingly, nearly one quarter of new infections in South Africa are in young women between these ages.
South Africa still has a mountain to climb in tackling the HIV infection – and while treatment programmes are proving highly successful, the next mountain to climb is prevention.
It is almost easier to administer drugs to people who become ill but it is far more difficult to persuade people to inculcate a preventative culture.
One of the most important tasks we face is to impress upon South Africans is to, among other things, use condoms.
South Africans are not using condoms as frequently as they should. Another obstacle is that people, particularly young women, are starting to have sex at a younger age. What is driving this epidemic is intergenerational transactional sex, ie older men having sex with younger women in exchange for money, clothing and other items.
Preventing HIV infection is a complex task: young women in South Africa remain one of the most disempowered groups, and are often the main victims of violence and unemployment.
They are a vulnerable group, who are exposed to numerous risks. What is needed is a multi-pronged intervention, involving education, and other support measures to stop the scourge.
According to the HSRC Household survey, risky sexual behaviour remains high. Consistent condom use needs to increase, multiple sexual partnerships need to decrease and the proportion of young people who have their first sexual encounter before their fifteenth birthday needs to decrease.
It is therefore imperative that prevention programmes to reduce new infections in young women become a top priority in fighting HIV.
In addition to increasing effective prevention programmes, it remains crucial to address the underlying structural and social drivers of HIV. These include transactional sex, intergenerational sex, unequal gender relations, gender violence and sexual assaults.
The early school dropout for girls in South Africa is something that should receive urgent attention, as is the low level of public knowledge to avoid risky sexual behaviour.
On World AIDS Day it is apt to rejuvenate the call on all communities in South Africa to unite in the fight against HIV while supporting people who are living with HIV – and to recognise the successes and challenges in fighting the disease.
Issued by Dr Wilmot James, Shadow Minister of Health, DA, 1 December 2015
