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100 000 babies were protected from HIV infection. In 2005, slightly fewer than 50 percent of all pregnant wom-
and younger men in the same age group, contributing over 30 percent towards new infections.
en were routinely tested for HIV infection. By 2009, this had
SANAC said in 2012, for example, HIV prevalence among
changed. Testing became universal and the maternal treat-
males was 2.9 percent and nearly four times higher among
ment regimen used for PMTCT programme has also changed
females at 11.4 percent.
over the past 10 years, from single-dose Nevirapine to either
Government hopes that a new campaign named ‘She Con-
dual therapy with Nevirapine and Azidothymidine from the
quers’ will raise awareness levels among girls and may teach
14th week of pregnancy onward or highly-active antiretroviral
them about the importance of insisting on or negotiating
therapy.
protected sex.
In line with changes in policy, Minister Motsoaledi, says continuous efforts were also being made to improve the quality
MomConnect programme
of the programme.
Minister Motsoaledi is also pinning his hope on the number
“Our PMTCT has been one of the most successful pro-
of exciting innovations that government has embarked on
grammes in our administration and we are certainly working
in its AIDS response, particularly the prevention of mother-
on it to ensure that it improves the quality of life for women
to-child infections. One of the flagship programmes which
with HIV and saves the lives of unborn children,” he adds.
the Minister is passionate about is MomConnect, a mobile
Overcoming challenges Despite the remarkable success South Africa has recorded in its response to HIV, challenges remain.
platform which creates awareness among pregnant women about available health services for their infants. MomConnect was first rolled out in KwaZulu-Natal and has a robust presence in the province.
Many of the 2.5 million children currently living with HIV
“Through MomConnect, we have managed to achieve amaz-
have no access to treatment, due in large part to a lack of
ing things. We have connected women from all over and cur-
tailored screening and treatment options.
rently we have more than 800 000 women on the programme
“We want to accelerate our efforts and make sure that moth-
and that is very impressive for us,” adds Minister Motsoaledi.
er-to-child transmission of HIV ceases to exist in our country.
South Africa is also implementing a national action frame-
This has been a marathon and we are saying now the winning
work for PMTCT programme. In addition, there are on-going
post is in sight,” says Minister Motsoaledi.
efforts to increase the ability of local health-care workers to
Young women and girls are also infected at an alarming rate.
collect high-quality data and use this to improve the PMTCT
According to statistics from the SANAC, HIV prevalence
programme.
among girls and young women aged 15 -24 has consistently been found to be many times higher in comparison to boys
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Government has said it is committed to reaching the target of a zero infection rate by 2030.
Public Sector Manager • August 2016