Hon Speaker and hon members, during the SA National Aids Council, Sanac, meeting on 12 August this year, we announced that people who are infected with HIV and have a Cluster of Differentiation 4, CD4, cell count of 350 or less will be eligible for antiretroviral treatment.
In essence this means that more people will now be treated earlier, thus decreasing their chances of infecting others. They will also benefit by staying healthier for longer. This will eventually contribute to increased life expectancy, which to date has declined due to HIV and related illnesses. The Department of Health has worked closely with the National Treasury, the World Health Organisation, United Nations Aids, Unaids, and experts to conduct analysis and forecasts on the financial implications of the proposed programme.
A well-calculated cost has been developed, which allowed government to include some of the projected costs in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. Consequently, resources have already been made available in the Department of Health budget to cover some of the costs of the programme.
We have received additional funding from the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief and Sanac successfully submitted a proposal to the Global Fund requesting a significant amount of resources to fund the purchase of antiretroviral drugs. An additional amount of R244 million will be provided through the national Department of Health to procure the additional commodities required.
The Minister of Health and Minister of Finance have also successfully obtained a 53% reduction in the cost of antiretrovirals, ARVs, through a concerted effort and robust engagement with the pharmaceutical industry. This saved government R4,7 billion, which makes it possible to treat more people.
These initiatives as well as ongoing efforts to maximise efficiencies will enable the costs of the expanded programme to be covered, at least in the short term to medium term.
Hon members, the national and provincial departments of health have existing systems to monitor their HIV/Aids and TB programmes and these systems are being strengthened.
A three-tier monitoring system is now being implemented, which consists of paper-based monitoring, electronic monitoring and, more importantly, a system linking all provinces. In this regard, I can assure this House that patient confidentiality will not be compromised during the use of these systems.
As for the implementation of the expanded programme, the new guideline is effective immediately as of this month and full details of this programme are already in the public domain. Government will continue to interact with the public, stakeholders and practitioners in the field to ensure that relevant details are known to all.
I believe that, through our combined efforts and by working together, we can defeat the scourge of HIV and Aids. I thank you for your attention.
Hon members on my right, please allow the Deputy President to be heard. You are drowning him out with your voices.
Mr Speaker, thank you, and thank you, hon Deputy President, for the response and the initiatives that are being taken. As the IFP, we welcome this announcement, but yet I think there are unintended consequences that may arise.
We can put in more money and more tablets to protect the vulnerable, but we find reports such as:
When thieves broke into Nonhlahla's home they took her most valuable possessions, her antiretrovirals, which in urban legend are key ingredients in a narcotic called "whoonga".
Mr Deputy President, we know that it is a myth that ARVs are used to produce "whoonga", but yet drug dealers continue to perpetuate this myth and vulnerable people are being robbed. Criminals attack people who go to clinics to collect "whoonga". There have been serial murders in KwaZulu- Natal, where people have been killed for ARVs. I would like to know, amongst other things, what would government do to ensure that these people who deserve the treatment are actually protected from these criminals and drug lords? [Time expired.]
Speaker, thank you very much, Mr Singh. Clearly, this is an act of criminality and the law enforcement units have to protect all citizens and not only those who are or may be in possession of ARVs. That's what we should do as communities and as government to ensure that law enforcement units in this country do away with such elements in our midst and that the correctional services correct them forever. Thank you.
Speaker, I would like to switch the question from treatment to prevention, if I may. Members would know that South Africa is, in fact, on the forefront of HIV prevention research. The Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa, Caprisa, 2004 study released last year was really internationally acclaimed. It is really important research.
Speaker, there is an agreement that we need to fast-track the results of that research because it is so important. The 2004 study was funded by the Americans and partly by the South Africans. The Caprisa 2008 confirmatory study needs to go ahead now.
The Americans have put their money on the line and we haven't. The project is stalled because there is no money. Chairperson, we are in Women's Month and it is a prevention that empowers women and prevents deaths amongst potentially huge numbers of women. Mr Speaker, the question that I put to the Deputy President is, why are we being so tardy as a country in funding this programme? If the Deputy President doesn't have the answer now, could he, perhaps, undertake to investigate the matter and revert to us with an answer? Thank you.
Mr Speaker, thank you, Mr Smith. Hon members, I do not have the answer right now, but I undertake to investigate and revert to you in writing. Thank you.
Speaker, thank you Deputy President for your response. The DA welcomes the continuing expansion of the ARV treatment programme. Deputy President, the recent study by the HIV Prevention Trials Network has revealed that by initiating treatment for HIV- positive people it reduces by 96% the risks of transmission to their partners.
Women in South Africa bear the brunt of the HIV/Aids pandemic, which is exacerbated by a patriarchal society where many men do not believe in protective sex. Given that, Sanac is currently developing its 2012 to 2016 national strategic plan conducted in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Department of Finance. This will assist in determining what it would cost if we were to provide every HIV-infected person with ARVs in our country and the future savings through reduced infections that that would bring, as well as health costs. Deputy President, if you have not done so, would you give this House the assurance that you would do? Thank you.
Speaker, thank you very much, Mr Waters. We haven't done that kind of a study yet. At the moment, as I said, we will only be able to announce the extension of treatment to those with a CD4 count of 350 by 12 August this year. That was based on a costing exercise conducted by the Ministry of Health and by National Treasury. We haven't gone that far. That is the step that, I suppose, we'll have to take in the near future.
Our effort is really also aimed at ensuring that we reduce new infections through spreading the word and ensuring that we prevent new infections and place more people on treatment - if that is outstripped by the rate of new infections, it means that we are not winning the battle. That is what is preoccupying Sanac at this point in time. Thank you.