So said Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi to rousing cheers at the annual Positive Convention, South Africa’s first-ever conference for people living with HIV/Aids, held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on 6 November 2009.

 

Hundreds of delegates from around South Africa attended the conference, hosted by Pholokgolo Ramothwala (the convenor) in partnership with the US Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), with support from the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), Soul City’s Onelove campaign, Johns Hopkins Health and Education South Africa (JHHESA) through USAID, Positive Women’s Network and AIDS Law Project.

 

Several speakers during the morning plenary session alluded to a sea change in the approach to fighting HIV/Aids, fuelled by President Zuma’s administration departure from the Mbeki government’s HIV/Aids policy.

 

Constitutional Court Judge Edwin Cameron, who has lived with HIV for nearly two decades and was accorded a hero’s welcome by the conference, heaped praise on President Jacob Zuma for his speech during the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) sitting, in which he called for a national mobilisation against the pandemic.

“The president showed us in that speech that he knows what must be done. There must be no shame. No discrimination. No recrimination. And the president said we must end stigma,” Cameron said to enthusiastic applause.

Cameron highlighted the issues of treatment, prevention and testing for HIV, saying: “Without testing, we cannot make progress against this epidemic.”

He pledged support for Minister Motsoaledi, saying that South Africa would hold him accountable – but would also help him fight HIV/Aids.

 

Mark Heywood, director of the Aids Law Project and deputy chairperson of the SA National Aids Council (SANAC), told the audience that there was a “willingness and commitment” to revitalise the fight against HIV/Aids.

“We are beginning to see change around HIV in South Africa,” he said.

Heywood also praised Minister Motsoaledi, saying he would save millions of lives and prevent millions of HIV infections: “I can put my hand on my heart and say I believe this Minister of Health, and I trust this Minister of Health.”

 

Motsoaledi, who pointed out that South Africa makes up 0.7% of the world’s population but carries 17% of the HIV/Aids burden, called the Positive Convention “an historic conference”.

He conceded that government was “embarrassed” that people living with HIV had had to go to court to force the previous administration into providing them with treatment. However, referring also to Zuma’s speech before the NCOP, he said: “I want to assure you that you will hear a lot more of that, especially from him. It’s the beginning of a new era ... in the fight against HIV and Aids.”

Saying that HIV and Aids always stood together, he appealed for unity in efforts to combat the disease. “My message to you is, stop fighting each other, fight this virus ... As government, you will not hear of us fighting you.”

 

Motsoaledi promised to “put to the public” available facts and statistics on the effects of HIV/Aids, and hinted that 2009 World Aids Day on December 1 would be “memorable”.

 

Dr Nono Simelela, CEO of SANAC, said there was a great need for all sectors in South Africa to come together in the fight against HIV/Aids, and that her dream was to see a conference of all stakeholders.

She called on people living with HIV/Aids to show leadership, and reflect the needs of communities.

“I’m really excited; this is an amazing time in South Africa,” said Simelela.

 

Dr Mary Fanning, the US embassy’s health attaché, saluted the audience for “reaching out to the important theme of this conference, which is positive living”.

She said that more than 1,6-million people had been assisted by Pepfar up to March this year, but that it was “sobering” to know that for every one person treated, two more contracted HIV.

South Africa received the largest allocation of Pepfar funding, and US support for South Africa’s efforts to combat HIV/Aids would continue, she said, but added: “Yes, more money must be spent, but we must also change hearts and minds, cultures and attitudes.”

 

ENDS