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Johannesburg, Dec 1 (SAPA) - The SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has vowed to do its best to make sure the goals of the new National Strategic Plan on HIV are met.
"We want to see new infections become history and the millions of South Africans who are infected living longer," Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said on Thursday.
Sadtu welcomed the plan launched by President Jacob Zuma in Port Elizabeth earlier in the day.
"We welcome the fact that the department will go beyond providing medicinal care, but will also seek to address social and structural factors that drive these epidemics."
He said the union supported the plan's goal to mainstream HIV and tuberculosis (TB).
The office of the ANC Chief Whip said the plan marked another milestone in South Africa's fight against HIV and Aids.
"We will ensure that Parliament continues to partner with government in this battle," said spokesman Molato Mothapo.
He said the HIV-Testing Lottery launched by Western Cape premier Helen Zille should be scrapped.
"Zille's HIV/Aids testing lottery trivialises one of the world's most challenging pandemics... it gives an impression that HIV/Aids is a problem of the poor, who should be easily enticed by Zille's prize money of a few thousands rands."
The battle against the disease should not be a game where people's participation is motivated by winning a jackpot, Mothapo said.
Zuma said the new NSP would also focus on TB. This was because co-infection between HIV and TB in South Africa was very high.
"We cannot afford to deal with HIV and TB separately," he said.
The main goals for the next five years included reducing new HIV and TB infections by at least 50%.
Putting in place a legal framework to support the introduction of the NSP and having 80% of eligible patients on antiretroviral treatment were other objectives.
