Gauteng HIV infections down

JOHANNESBURG - HIV infections in Gauteng among young people under the age of 25 have gone down from 13.2 percent in 2002 to 10.3 in 2005, the premier’s office said on Friday.

“The committee chaired by Premier Paul Mashatile noted that there had been declines in new infections among young people, that indicates the first stage of turning the tide of HIV infections in the province,” said spokesman Simon Zwane in a statement.

He said efforts to prevent infants from acquiring the virus from their mothers had also decreased, following the initiation of dual therapy as part of prevention of mother-to-child-transmission.

It was initiated by the health department in February this year. "Evidence from Rahima Moosa mother and child hospital has shown that the number of children born with HIV infection has declined from 7.5 to 3.5 percent as a result of dual therapy.”

According to sexual transmitted infections statistics, many people were taking precautions to prevent HIV infections.

The syphilis prevalence rate had dropped from 4.3 percent in 2005 to 2.3 percent in 2006.

Mashatile urged people to use World Aids Day on December 1 to dedicate themselves to the prevention of new infections.

“We all know how HIV and Aids spreads. Let us now use that knowledge to change our behaviour and practice safe sex. Our vision of an Aids-free generation relies on individuals modifying their sexual behaviour. You and me can make a difference, let us start today,” he said.

Mashatile said the government wanted to see new HIV infections reduced by half.

“To achieve that we have shifted our approach from awareness campaigns to focus on face-to-face education, peer education and life skills in schools to change sexual behaviour,” he said.

He said the government was committed to providing treatment and support to ensure longer productive life for people living with HIV.

The number of people on antiretroviral treatment in Gauteng had grown from 12,976 in 2004 to 140,000 this year.

Zwane said Gauteng had also experienced an improvement in the control of tuberculosis (TB). "The incidence of TB cases has decreased from 424 per 100,000 people in 2006 to 379 per 100,000 in 2007.”

He said cure rates had also improved, with seven out of ten people cured of the disease in 2007 compared to six out of ten in 2006.