THE HIV infection rate in Ekurhuleni has dropped by 10 per cent in the past three years.
This was revealed at the two-day Ekurhuleni HIV and Aids conference at Springs Civic Centre.
It was also revealed that the metro tested an average of 474 790 people a year and the positivity rate of those tested for the virus had dropped from 25 per cent in 2011/2012 to 15 per cent for the 2013/2014 year.
Speaking during the opening of the conference, Ekurhuleni mayor, Clr Mondli Gungubele, said:
“It is clear that our programmes are on the right track but this doesn’t mean we must slow down in our war against HIV. It demonstrates that we have clearly made some strides but we cannot afford to be complacent about the status quo.”
It was also revealed that the rate of infection among expectant mothers had decreased to 20.5 per cent and the number of babies born to HIV positive mothers testing PCR positive had also decreased to 1.8 per cent.
Director for the Multi Sectoral Unit at the Gauteng Department of Health, Dr Elizabeth Floyd, said the number of children’s hospices had decreased because the number of mother to child infections had decreased. She was reflecting on the Gauteng Strategic Plan on HIV, TB and STIs for 2012 to 2016.
She also highlighted the importance of the younger generation taking part in initiatives fighting against HIV and Aids, especially because young women in particular are more vulnerable to the virus.
“Young women are the most vulnerable because of social issues. We need young leaders to lead young people because they can speak in a language and about circumstances that they understand and can relate with,” explained Floyd.
The conference was held for the purpose of reviewing Ekurhuleni’s progress in fighting the HIV and Ais pandemic and supporting those who are infected and affected, as World Aids Day on December 1 nears.
The meeting was spearheaded by the Ekurhuleni Aids Council and attended by more than 400 representatives.
This was the second of its kind and served as a mid-term review of Ekurhuleni’s Strategic Plan on HIV, STIs and Tuberculosis for 2012 to 2016.
HIV AND AIDS SCENARIO IN THE EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY
