This week's issues
| SANAC aims to reduce AIDS |
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| Written by Mxolisi Ncube |
| Monday, 23 November 2009 16:53 |
 JOHANNESBURG - The South African National Aids Council (SANAC) last week held a one-day symposium aimed at fighting the Aids scourge, which is likely to be worsened by a growing migrant population seeking to take advantage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.An estimated four million Zimbabweans are currently living in South Africa and, due to that country’s shrinking employment sector, most of the female population has joined the commercial sex trade. The symposium, which was coordinated by SANAC’s Sport and Entertainment Sector, focused on communications platforms, advocacy platforms and social mobilization platforms that could be used before, during and after the World Cup, to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS in South Africa. The participants resolved to use the 2010 World Cup to promote HIV and AIDS prevention messages within the context of FIFA’s 11 for Health programme and SANAC’s National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS, TB and STI’s through working within the world football governing body - FIFA, the South Africa Football Association (SAFA) and the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) to use the 2010 World Cup to promote HIV and AIDS prevention messages. “We set for ourselves attainable and achievable objectives through the deliberations at this Symposium,” said Victor Ramathesele, the 2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee Chief Medical Officer, who is also the chairperson of the SANAC Sport and Entertainment Sector. “Our mandate is to put them to action and ensure that our actions count as we contribute towards the renewed call by the President and the Minister of Health in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and other related health issues.” The Symposium identified five key issues requiring energy, partnerships and innovative strategic approach in dealing with them during the 2010 World cup and beyond. These were commercial sex work, human trafficking, stigma and discrimination, alcohol and drug use and child protection. |
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