A national antenatal survey for 2006 has shown a decrease in the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women visiting public health facilities, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Monday.
”This is mainly as a result of our continued focus on prevention as the mainstay of our response to combat HIV …” said Tshabalala-Msimang in a prepared speech.
The minister opened the 2007 National Youth Health Indaba in Kimberley.
Tshabalala-Msimang said the report indicated that the ”statistically significant decline” was mainly among people under the age of 20 followed by those between 20 and 24.
”The decline in the under-20 year age from 15,9% in 2005 to 13,7% in 2006 particularly implies a possible reduction in new infections [incidence] in the population,” said Tshabalala-Msimang.
She thanked South Africa’s youth for responding to the messages of prevention and encouraged them to continue taking care of their health.
The National Youth Health Indaba (meeting) aims to get young people more involved in the development of their own lives and that of their communities.
The theme for this year’s youth-development month is Deepening Youth Participation in Development Through Service.
The Kimberley conference follows the first indaba in Mpumalanga last year where mostly the challenges facing young people in the country were identified.
Tshabalala-Msimang urged the youth to deal with the challenge of alcohol and substance abuse.
Tshabalala-Msimang said the Department of Health was making progress in promoting youth empowerment and development in line with the ”Youth Declaration 2006” in Mpumalanga.
She said of the 1 279 people currently employed at the national department, 731 were young people between of 19 and 35 years.
”This means that more than 57% of the full-time staff at the national Department of Health is made up of young people,” said Tshabalala-Msimang. — Sapa