STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER
DR B.S.S.DLAMINI
AT THE LAUNCH OF THE HIV PREVENTION INITIATIVES IN SWAZILAND
AT THE CABINET OFFICES
MONDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2016
Honourable Ministers
Executive Director of the Global Fund
Your Excellency United States Ambassador
Your Excellency European Union Ambassador
World Bank Representative
United Nations Resident Representative
Your Excellency Ambassador of Norway
Chairman of the Swaziland Country Coordinating Mechanism
Executive Director of NERCHA
Representatives of the media
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
May I first of all extend a very warm welcome to Swaziland and to my Offices to the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Dr Dybul, and to our other distinguished visitors.
It is indeed an honour to host a meeting of so many eminent development partners, but particularly so since they are the official representatives of the main participants in one of the great partnerships of this world. This is a partnership that is a truly wonderful example of a global community spirit that has converted empathy and concern into action and results, reaching out and saving thousands of lives in our country and millions across the world.
Thanks to the financial beneficence and technical assistance from the organizations represented here today, supported by the work and commitment shown by Swaziland’s public sector agencies, non-government organisations and community involvement across the country, Swaziland has pushed back what is arguably the greatest enemy in its history – the HIV and AIDS pandemic.
Enemy pushed back, yes. Enemy beaten, no. We have won a battle, a very big battle, but we have not won the war.
With excellent progress made in the roll-out of antiretroviral treatment, and the reduction almost to zero of HIV transmission from mother to child, Swaziland has a right to feel that inspirational combination of pride and gratitude. There is a growing light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, but still much work to be done. Swaziland’s Vision 2022 identifies the targeted achievement of three zeros, related specifically to HIV and AIDS – zero discrimination, zero AIDS related deaths and the zero that we are focusing on in the partnership being launched today – zero new HIV infections.
The partnership is being separately constituted for one very good reason – in the area of new infections we are not doing well. The rate is too high and we are not on the way to hitting zero. There should no longer be any ignorance about how HIV is contracted. Furthermore it is not satisfactory at all to take the view – oh, well I can always get treatment if I contract HIV. Let us be clear. While we can never fully express our gratitude for the life-saving capability of antiretroviral treatment, it is still medication that, in the present circumstances, has to be taken to a strict routine and for life. It is far, far better to avoid contracting HIV in the first place.
Our heavy artillery in achieving the zero new infections by 2022 revolves around one word. Prevention. For every one person – it is one word, one solution, requiring one very serious and sustained commitment – to prevent oneself contracting HIV in the first place. But when it comes to individual personal behavior “one” becomes “many.” No two people are the same. Emotional, moral and physical characteristics vary, as do perception, self-discipline and attitude to risk, across our entire population. A great deal of work has already been done in the area of prevention, but without the requisite degree of success. It is now time for innovative approaches and it is for that reason that we are launching this partnership, involving our own technical experts, working with the heavyweights of the global fight against HIV and AIDS whose representatives are with us today.
In this particular initiative, this partnership, you are focusing on what is known, from the empirical evidence, to be the most vulnerable group – adolescent girls and young women. If we can crack that problem, then with regard to getting new HIV infections we can get close to home by 2022.
Let everyone in our society reflect on that time-honoured saying: prevention is better than cure. Well, we do not even have a cure for HIV, which additionally strengthens the case for adopting the prevention route in the first place. As we put our innovative approaches into practice let us remember that, to be effective, they have to give rise to a new and sustained determination among this vulnerable group to prevent being exposed to HIV infection at any time.
Everyone has a part to play in achieving success in the chosen focus of this partnership. More effective prevention demands innovation, but innovation cannot succeed without efficiency of support, that includes elevating the pace of the existing programme, increasing the level of testing and treatment, with community systems ratcheting up the degree of protection to girls and young women.
Ladies and gentlemen who are representing our great benefactors, I take this opportunity on behalf of His Majesty’s Government to express our deepest gratitude for your continuing assistance. I also want to confirm that Government is committed to giving a very high priority in our National Budget to the requisite contribution from our own side to ensure the sustainability of the country’s HIV and AIDS programme.
It is now my honour, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, to declare the HIV Prevention Initiatives in Swaziland focusing on interventions for adolescent girls and young women duly launched.
Thank you.