Consensus Statement of National HIV/AIDS Treatment Congress, June 29th 2002
Monday, July 01, 2002
Preamble: Between June 27th and 29th 2002, 750 delegates from all over South Africa attended the TAC/COSATU National Treatment Congress. Delegates heard presentations from many of South Africa's leading HIV scientists but also the day-to-day experiences of the epidemic of nurses, doctors and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Delegates heard of many of the best practices South Africans are using to combat the epidemic, but there was also a belief that most people with HIV are not receiving adequate treatment, care and support. Furthermore HIV is already having a dramatic and negative impact on the health service.
After two days of deliberations the Congress came to the following conclusions:
The HIV epidemic has created an emergency in South Africa. This emergency threatens South Africa's future by creating more poverty and impacting negatively on our ability to reconstruct and develop the country to the benefit of all of its people. A national HIV/AIDS Treatment Plan is needed to combat this emergency. A treatment plan will strengthen the Government's existing 5-year strategic plan, which concentrates mainly on prevention.
The Congress believes that the following principles must be accepted in dealing with this emergency:
1.A partnership that recognises the value of every HIV infection prevented, and the value of every life that is prolonged and improved through access to treatment.
2.Recognition of the dignity and equality of every person living with HIV/AIDS as the basis to eliminate stigma and discrimination.
3.Every person has the human right of access to health care.
4.There is a need to boldly take advantage of the best scientific knowledge about HIV/AIDS, including treatments for HIV. People in the developed world should not be the only people who benefit from breakthroughs in medical research.
5.That there is a need for investment in public health service including eradication of inequities between provinces, districts and communities.
The Congress felt that the HIV crisis and the crisis in the health sector is being made worse by economic policies, notably GEAR, that have taken resources away from health and other public sectors. Also delegates believed strongly that government spending should be driven by the needs of poor people, and not by those of the armed forces, the World Bank or the IMF.
Although the Congress aimed to develop a National Treatment Plan for South Africa it was also recognised that HIV/AIDS is a grave threat to all the people of Africa. We valued the participation of delegates, including leaders of people with HIV, from Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique and Malawi. Delegates resolved to demand that the NEPAD plan include clear measures for the treatment and prevention of HIV and programmes for rapid public-sector driven alleviation of poverty. Later in 2002 TAC and COSATU will organise and host a meeting of people from other African countries to strengthen and unify demands for access to treatment and the improvement of health services.
The Congress was alarmed by reports it received of the collapse of health services in many rural areas, particularly Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and Northern Province. Doctors, nurses and people with HIV called for a rural health services rescue plan - this would necessitate urgent interventions by the government supported by all the civil society organisations and the private health sector to rebuild health care in these areas. Strong calls were made for accountability and dismissal of politicians and civil servants who are responsible for the collapse of health care services, especially in Mpumalanga.
Congress called for a new partnership between the national health department, provincial health departments and civil society organisations. The objective of this partnership is to save lives. Delegates strongly welcomed the participation of Dr Nono Simelela, Chief Director HIV/AIDS and STDs and KwaZulu Natal MEC for Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize. Delegates responded to the call from Dr Mkhize for a new partnership of community mobilisation for health by calling for a national day of community action against AIDS on August 8th 2002 and agreed to commit organisations to this campaign.
In particular Congress supported the continuation of the SANAC, but called for it to be made more representative, accountable, transparent and dynamic. Congress also called for SANAC to be given resources and independence from politicians that is necessary to properly tackle the epidemic.
The Congress broke into commissions which made detailed recommendations for inclusion in a national treatment plan in the following areas:
1.Piloting antiretroviral treatment and diagnostics in the Public Service
2.Treating sexually transmitted infections and opportunistic infections: targeting vulnerable groups such as women and children 3.Cutting the costs of medicines and diagnostics - investing in public health care
4.Doctors, nurses, volunteers: Building capacity and will to treat HIV
5.Improving prevention information, encouraging voluntary counselling and testing - a special role for young people
6.Social campaigns to support a treatment plan: the Basic Income Grant campaign, extending access to child welfare grants, workplace policies
7.Youth
In conclusion delegates recommitted themselves to fighting to prevent new HIV infections, saving lives and improving the dignity and quality of life of all people in South Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union. The doors of health care services shall be opened!
Coastlands Conference Centre, Durban, June 29th 2002
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