The Amajuba District Municipality (Special Programmes unit) last week convened a successful District AIDS Council in an effort to push the national agenda to address the burden of HIV/AIDS, STIs, and TB.
After the Council reviewed the current status of the district programmes intended to stem the tide of the HIV and AIDS pandemic and further provide feedback on Substance Abuse and GBVF programmes,
It was revealed that there has been a decline in reported new HIV infections.
There is, however, a rise in sexually transmitted infections, particularly among the youth, which has prompted the Department of Health to intensify its awareness programmes to promote safer intercourse practice among young adults.
The Department of Social Development announced that it has started active programmes to combat the problems with addiction to combat the district’s struggles with substance and drug misuse.
Additionally, the department ran targeted group awareness campaigns around the district and tallied over 632 beneficiaries.
Cllr. I.S. Sithole praised the significant progress made on behalf of the mayor, uMntwana Ndabuko Zulu, saying:
“Although there has been great success in our region in limiting the rise in HIV infections and its socioeconomic effects, let us not grow complacent and instead maintain our fight 5o mobilise our communities to be at the centre of all efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic.”
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