Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang opened the South African Aids exhibition to a background of brightly coloured displays at the International Aids Conference in Toronto, Canada, on Sunday. The exhibition showcases garlic, lemon and beetroot.
Two bottles of anti-retroviral drugs, as well as male and female condoms, were dotted among the vegetables that form part of the government’s healthy-lifestyle awareness campaign that encourages people to exercise regularly and eat healthy food.
The minister, who will be in Toronto until Thursday, said she hopes to learn from presentations on the interventions and research advances being made in various parts of the world.
The 16th International Aids Conference has seen up to 30 000 delegates, scientists, activists and people from all walks of life descend on the city of Toronto.
”We hope that this conference can pay particular attention on issues of prevention … this should cover research work on reducing the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” said Tshabalala-Msimang.
New prevention technologies such as microbicides, research, access to treatment and issues around mandatory testing are expected to be hot topics at the conference.
The minister said South Africa’s response focuses on prevention, adding that awareness campaigns encouraging people to abstain from sex and be faithful to one partner have resulted in between 92% and 98% awareness about HIV/Aids among the youth.
The minister highlighted the government’s comprehensive plan for management, care and treatment of HIV/Aids, saying she hopes to increase the supply of female condoms from 2,6-million in 2004 to three million this year.
She said innovative ways are being used to address a shortage of health professionals, such as the development of a mid-level health-worker category including medical, pharmacist and nursing assistants.
”The reduction of the prices of medicines and other essential commodities remains a very critical area of intervention. We also have to encourage innovation and research into additional tools for our response, including vaccines and microbicides, traditional medicine and other forms of therapies,” she said.
The controversial display of garlic and lemon elicited a heated response from those attending the opening.
Mark Hayward, of the Aids Law Project and the Treatment Action Campaign, said South Africa has a duty to ensure people have the best advice about the best medicines.
”The bottom line remains, anti-retroviral drugs are being received by 200 000 people. The medicines are bringing health and wellness back to our population.”
He said it is not true that the stabilisation of HIV ante-natal prevalence is evidence that the government’s current strategy is working, and there has to be acceleration of a new prevention strategy for South Africa. ”We are not on top of the South African epidemic.”
South Africa has more people living with HIV/Aids than any other country, with about five million people out of a population of about 47-million currently living with the disease.
Tshabalala-Msimang was accompanied by health ministers from various provinces, as well as Minister of Social Development Zola Skweyiya.
Bill and Melinda Gates would address the opening session of the conference later in the day, followed by a concert featuring stars such as Alicia Keys and the Barenaked Ladies. — Sapa