The anti-Aids drug nevirapine is now available at all public hospitals in Gauteng, provincial premier Mbhazima Shilowa said on Tuesday.
He said more than 70% of large community health centres and clinics were also providing the drug.
”We are extremely close in reaching our commitment to provide anti-Aids drugs to all health institutions in the province,” the premier said in Pretoria.
”In most areas we have began to see tangible results.”
In a speech prepared for delivery at the opening of a two-day Gauteng Aids Summit, Shilowa said more than 80% of clinics in the province were providing basic Aids care, counselling and HIV tests.
Approximately 2 000 lay counsellors had been trained to service more than 14 voluntary testing sites.
He said the summit needed to develop further plans of action to step up the provincial government’s HIV/Aids policy focusing on awareness, prevention, treatment and care.
”We have put aside substantial resources to carry out our HIV/Aids strategy and programme,” Shilowa said.
”More resources are located in departments through their various programmes aimed at dealing with the epidemic.” – Sapa