Gauteng AIDS Council’s Efforts to Strengthen NSP Implementation
-Simangaliso Motsepe
South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) in collaboration with the Gauteng Provincial Council on AIDS (PCA) and other key stakeholders held a Reorientation and Induction Workshop with the aim of strengthening, reporting, and implementing multisector HIV, TB and STIs response in Johannesburg from 17-19 May 2023.
Objectives of the workshop were amongst others, to re-emphasise the roles and responsibilities of metro and district AIDS Councils in HIV, TB and STIs multisectoral response, in line with the SANAC procedural guidelines; strengthen quality of implementation, target achievement and reporting, demand creation, layering and linkages strategies, through working with key stakeholders for effective referrals and collaborations, exchange and share best practices amongst municipalities, jointly work on alignment of the programme with the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, TB & STIs for 2023 – 2028.
About 100 representatives from various stakeholders inclusive of SANAC and its structures, Gauteng Government, Anova, NACOSA and SALGA attended the workshop to deliberate on issues of coordination and implementation of the NSP. Opening and welcoming delegates to the workshop, the Gauteng Head of Secretariat, Ms. Nolundi Mfecane said, “Gauteng province is the first among other provinces to host the reorientation and induction workshop making sure that we all put efforts in combating the HIV, TB and STIS in line with the goals of the new NSP 2023 -2028.”
Speaking on day-two of the workshop, the SANAC Technical Lead for AIDS Councils Mr. Lebowa Malaka said, “AIDS Councils will never function effectively without working together with all the multisectoral partners inclusive of government, civil society and the private sector towards on HIV, TB and STIs response in the country.”
Presenting her report on the district functions, the Head of the Secretariat for Sedibeng District, Ms Vuyiswa Jentile said, “the district was proud to indicate that it is the only one that is functional in the coordination of the Inter-Departmental-Committee (IDC) because the secretariat is attributed to and located within the Office of the Mayor.”
Another key area that was discussed at the workshop was presented by the Provincial Technical Officer for AGYW, Ms Refilwe Mophosho who highlighted how persons with disability face challenges of abuse daily and that the government and stakeholders should ensure they come up with strategies and action plans to tackle such issues among persons with disabilities.
Envisaged outcomes of the reorientation and induction included ensuring that there is alignment to the SANAC procedural guidelines on Provincial Council on AIDS, District AIDS Councils and Local AIDS Councils roles and responsibilities, clear understanding of the provincial road map with regards to Provincial Implementation Plans (PIP) and Municipal District Implementation Plans (MDIPs) on HIV, TB and STIs.