Hiv/Aids programme gets financail boost
The fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic in all municipalities in Mpumalanga will receive a financial boost from both municipal and provincial departments.
KAMHLUSHWA – The fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic in all municipalities in Mpumalanga will receive a financial boost from both municipal and provincial departments.
This came to light on Friday when the premier and the chairman of the Mpumalanga Provincial Aids Council (MPac), Mr David Mabuza, instructed departments to increase their budgets for HIV/Aids-related programmes.
Speaking at the MPac sitting held at the Kamhlushwa Community Hall, Mabuza said the budgets were not sufficient to effectively support the work of the provincial and the local aids councils. He said an increased budget would enable them to to do their work properly of mobilising communities to take responsibility on matters of HIV/Aids, such as not engaging in unsafe sex, knowing their status and further giving support to those who are infected and affected by the virus.
“If you want to fight this kind of battle, you must arm yourself by having dedicated programmes that you must carry out. In order for you to achieve with those programmes, you need reasonable resources to systematically go all out and attack this scourge.
“Municipalities and provincial government departments should increase their budgets that deal with the fight against HIV/Aids, otherwise any other thing they would be doing is pointless because the nation is sick.
“I am not happy with current funds budgeted. We have to be aggressive in our approach by doing certain things extraordinary in order to emerge victorious from this war (sic),” Mabuza said.
He added that he wanted Mpumalanga to be counted among the provinces that have worked hard in fighting the scourge.
Currently the province is the second worst hit with Gert Sibande District Municipality having more infections at 46 per cent and has budgeted only R1,3million.
Mabuza explained that the existing budgets catered for government alone and the civil society, which was regarded as crucial in the battle, had no funds.
He said he wanted to see the civil society also participating instead of waiting for government.
He explained that the existing budgets catered for government alone, and the civil society which was regarded as crucial in the battle, had no funds.
Mabuza added that the basic budget to carry out work by the civil society needed to be funded by government.
He subsequently demanded integrated plans which determine the activities of both the civil society and government.
“The intention of government is to teach communities at large to take responsibility. Currently I do not see the ‘working together’ between government and civil society in getting the nation to focus on the fight against HIV and Aids.
“If we are faced in one direction, we will definitely succeed. We can only win this war if we have the right attitude. As people have more confidence in civil society, we must ensure that we get this sector to participate actively,” Mabuza concluded.
