STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER

 

DR B.SIBUSISO DLAMINI

Read by the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister, Senator Paul Dlamini

 

AT THE NATIONAL COMMEMORATION OF WORLD AIDS DAY

 

AT THE SITEKI SPORTS GROUND

 

MONDAY 1 DECEMBER 2014

 

Honourable Ministers

Chiefs

Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps

UN Resident Coordinator

Regional Administrator

Chairperson and Board of the NERCHA Council

Executive Director of NERCHA

Representative of SWANNEPHA

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

On this very significant day of commemoration across the world let me first of all extend my sincere apologies for being unable to attend the function in person owing to other commitments.

 

I will, however, be very much with you all in spirit.  My own periods of office as Prime Minister have spanned a large part of time that this pernicious HIV disease ravaged our country, our people and our economy.  I have attended many functions, spoken publicly on many occasions and, indeed, have the responsibility for our National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA) within my own Ministerial Portfolio.  But, for me to miss just one function is one too many.  I am reassured, nevertheless, that I have the honour of addressing you all through my esteemed colleague, the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister, Senator Paul Dlamini.

 

I know the World AIDS Day 2014 march through Siteki will be impressive, not only in terms of the passion and empathy within the people participating but also in those watching in person or through the media.  It is not just an expression of commitment to world-wide unity in the fight against HIV and AIDS but it is also showing support for people infected and affected by HIV, and to remember the many thousands who have died from AIDS-related illness.  That creates a great deal of emotion.

 

At the end of a tunnel there will always be light, whether visible or not at the outset.  In the early days of recognition and the banishing of denial about HIV and AIDS the impact on individuals, families and communities in our country was utterly brutal.  The light at the end of the tunnel was invisible at that time.   But with a combination of faith, determination, collaboration and the wonders of medical innovation we fought that silent, devastating pandemic.  So many – from the development partners, to the national agencies, to the communities, to the gogos bringing up so many orphans, to individuals across the land – are to be thanked and congratulated for beating back the enemy.

 

But I use the words “beating back” and not the word “beaten.”  The enemy is only being held back by the combination of this well-oiled fighting machine that I have just described and the amazing antiretroviral medication.  HIV is not beaten.  It is not gone.  It is still there, infecting many thousands of our people and many millions across the world, but AIDS itself is held at bay thanks to the miracle of medical intervention.  There is much to be proud of.  In particular, the rate of mother-to-child transmission, when the medication is properly sustained, is now approaching zero which is an extraordinary and quite moving achievement in our society. 

 

But there is absolutely no room for complacency.  HIV, while manageable under antiretroviral medication, is a chronic condition in a similar way to diabetes or high blood pressure and requires, at present, lifelong systematic adherence to medical prescription.  However, it must be said that on World AIDS Day 2014, countries across the globe are looking at the target of ending AIDS by 2030 – presumably suggesting a cure and a vaccine - and Swaziland is joining the drive to achieve that target.  A combination of scientifically-proven interventions are creating a confidence that AIDS can be beaten.

 

In the meantime the targets are, while still hugely challenging, somewhat more realistic – “Getting to Zero” – zero new HIV infections, zero deaths from AIDS-related illnesses and zero discrimination.  How close are we to those targets?  The answer will never be precisely measurable because we cannot calculate precisely the degree of discrimination in our society.  But I put a question to all who are listening – what is your attitude?  You will perhaps only silently answer that question but I do earnestly hope, if you do not personally have HIV, that you are completely free of any prejudice against those infected.

 

Zero new infections is all about commitment in personal behaviour to the most effective route – prevention.  As the recently launched that promoted a symbolic two months abstinence followed by two months using condoms, now comes to its publicized conclusion.  But let us all carry forward and sustain the behaviour that is captured in that pledge.  We still have new HIV infections.  Change in personal behaviour combined with testing for HIV are essential for meeting that Zero target.  More resources are needed to scale up services to prevent new infections and introduce early treatment for those who are HIV positive. 

 

Our prevention work must include an intensified approach to preventing the new infections that are arising in groups of special vulnerability.  Females are physically more susceptible than males to the HIV infection.   Furthermore there is the 18-24 years age group that is proving especially vulnerable.  I therefore challenge all sectors to develop programmes that serve to reduce that vulnerability and help in reducing new infections to zero.

 

The statistics related to testing for HIV indicate that there is a sizeable proportion of our population that has not tested.  Fear is an understandable emotion but nowhere near as justified as it was in the pre-ARV era when HIV was a death sentence.  I have one simple message for those who do not test – it is medically proven that if you are HIV positive your life span will be significantly increased.  Now surely that is a pretty good reason to go and get tested!

 

In any fight, for there to be a positive impact, there has to be effective leadership.  The reason why NERCHA was established was to provide leadership to all sectors so that they all work towards an AIDS-free generation. The focus of our new extended strategy for our national response to HIV and AIDS, launched last year, focuses intensively on improving social protection, the strengthening of the various education, health and community systems and food security and nutrition systems. 

 

While medical progress has made an enormous impact on the clinical side of the fight, the impact of HIV and AIDS is still being felt.  We have a huge number of children orphaned or made vulnerable by the pandemic.  They need food security as the first and most basic requirement to be met.  NERCHA, working with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has re-launched the Indlunkhulu Project whose pilot will target 80 chiefdoms.  It is absolutely crucial that communities commit themselves to making indlunkhulu work.  The children in each community are the children of the community and the responsibility of the community.  I urge NERCHA to be vigorous and exhaustive in the assistance they give, and the monitoring they undertake, to ensure that this version of the Scheme is considerably more successful than its predecessor.

 

It remains for me to thank the organizers of this event and all the walkers who have made the special journey to join the march.  May today be an inspiration to us all in our national campaign of Getting to Zero.

 

Thank you.