DEPUTY President Kgalema Motlanthe has urged more South African men to get tested for HIV and Aids.
Motlanthe was speaking at a South African National Aids Council (Sanac) plenary session held in Bloemfontein at the weekend.
In a session attended by various ministers, deputy ministers, Free State Premier Ace Magashule and MECs of the province, the aim was to debate a wide range of interventions towards scaling up on ways to tackle the HIV-Aids epidemic.
Last year South Africa embarked on a massive HIV-Aids counselling campaign that saw more than 15million people tested and screened for HIV and other chronic diseases.
But Motlanthe was concerned about the number of men who go for HIV testing.
"The campaign indicated that fewer men have tested compared with the number of women and there are still important sectors such as religious and private that need to demonstrate visible leadership in testing for HIV," he said
"We have agreed that Sanac will embark on a targeted campaign to encourage more men and people at a high risk of contracting HIV to present themselves for counselling and testing," said Motlanthe.
The deputy president also urged all South Africans who tested positive to go back to their clinics to receive care there.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi was equally concerned about the number of men who go for testing. He said it was imperative that more men go for testing at least twice a year.
"We encourage more men to know their status and we will continue to visit farming areas, hostels, factories, constructions sites and various institutions of learning," he said.
"The government has increased the capacity to take care of people living with HIV," he said.
Motsoaledi said that Sanac has endorsed the National Health Council Policy to initiate treatment for all those who tested positive with a CD-4 count of 350 or lower.
He was happy with the reduction of mother-to-child transmission.
"The transmission has been reduced from 10percent to 3,5percent and this is a reflection of the hard work of all stakeholders," he said.
'Men need to test for HIV'
DEPUTY President Kgalema Motlanthe has urged more South African men to get tested for HIV and Aids.
Motlanthe was speaking at a South African National Aids Council (Sanac) plenary session held in Bloemfontein at the weekend.
In a session attended by various ministers, deputy ministers, Free State Premier Ace Magashule and MECs of the province, the aim was to debate a wide range of interventions towards scaling up on ways to tackle the HIV-Aids epidemic.
Last year South Africa embarked on a massive HIV-Aids counselling campaign that saw more than 15million people tested and screened for HIV and other chronic diseases.
But Motlanthe was concerned about the number of men who go for HIV testing.
"The campaign indicated that fewer men have tested compared with the number of women and there are still important sectors such as religious and private that need to demonstrate visible leadership in testing for HIV," he said
"We have agreed that Sanac will embark on a targeted campaign to encourage more men and people at a high risk of contracting HIV to present themselves for counselling and testing," said Motlanthe.
The deputy president also urged all South Africans who tested positive to go back to their clinics to receive care there.
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi was equally concerned about the number of men who go for testing. He said it was imperative that more men go for testing at least twice a year.
"We encourage more men to know their status and we will continue to visit farming areas, hostels, factories, constructions sites and various institutions of learning," he said.
"The government has increased the capacity to take care of people living with HIV," he said.
Motsoaledi said that Sanac has endorsed the National Health Council Policy to initiate treatment for all those who tested positive with a CD-4 count of 350 or lower.
He was happy with the reduction of mother-to-child transmission.
"The transmission has been reduced from 10percent to 3,5percent and this is a reflection of the hard work of all stakeholders," he said.
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