Deputy President David Mabuza in his capacity as Chairperson of the South African National Aids Council (SANAC), has today, 11 March 2022 convened and chaired a SANAC IMC meeting.

The meeting was updated on the progress that has been made in various sector consultations towards the drafting of the 2023-2028 National Strategic Plan (NSP) for HIV and Aids. This follows the decision by SANAC Plenary for the extension of the 2017-2022 National Strategic Plan. The decision was coupled with catch-up plans aimed at accelerating service provision and attainment of the 90-90-90 national and global targets. To this end the catch-up plans were implemented at national and provincial level and have been completed.

The IMC also considered a proposal to standardise the establishment of AIDS Councils in different provinces, in order to strengthen the governance of SANAC. The proposal will take the form of a Multi-Sector Policy Framework, which will be developed to ensure accountability by all stakeholders within SANAC.

The IMC was also appraised on national the TB response, in this regard, consultations on the proposal by civil society to declare TB as a national health emergency, are ongoing.

World TB Day is commemorated annually on 24 March around the world. South Africa will commemorate this year’s World TB Day under the theme: Invest in TB now – Get Screened, End Stigma, Save Lives, in Frances Baard District Municipality in the Northern Cape Province. The commemoration will be preceded by an engagement with Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders, Inter-Faith Leaders and well as Traditional Health Practitioners.

The meeting finally noted plans towards South Africa’s participation at the 2022 International Aids Conference, which will take place from 29 July – 2 August 2022 in Montreal Canada, in a hybrid format.

Source: Government of South Africa