Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Tuesday deliver a keynote address during the opening session of the 11th South African AIDS Conference, held at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

Mashatile will address the conference in his capacity as the Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

The 11th SA AIDS Conference scheduled to take place from 20-23 June 2023, will be held under the theme “Act, Connect and End the Epidemic”.

The conference brings together HIV community, including scientists, researchers, social activists, programme implementers, policy makers, and people living with HIV, to review and reflect on progress made towards HIV/AIDS and TB epidemic control in the midst of pandemics and other global health threats.

In this regard, the conference will also provide a platform for taking stock of the post pandemic South African HIV/AIDS, TB and Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) response, and to deliberate on emerging priorities as the country forges ahead with efforts and strategies to eliminate HIV as a public health threat.

“SANAC, chaired by Deputy President Mashatile, has played a leading role in championing response programmes in line with the new 2023-2028 National Strategic Plan (NSP) for HIV, TB, and STIs, through a multi-sectoral engagement which includes government, civil society and the private sector,” the Presidency said in a statement.

The Deputy President will lead the opening plenary alongside the SANAC Civil Society Chairperson, Steve Letsike; Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla; KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, and other government officials and representatives of development partners, including UN Agencies and the African Development Community.

Source: South African Government News Agency