Chairperson, the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, by world leaders gave hope to millions of people throughout the world that their lives would change for the better, in particular MDG 4, which is committed to reducing child mortality; MDG 5, committed to improving maternal health; and MDG 6, committed to combating HIV and Aids, malaria and other diseases. With just three years to go, we need to take stock of where we are and whether or not we are going to achieve these goals.
I would like to address three particular goals, the first being MDG 4. In 2003 the mortality rate in children under 5 in sub-Saharan Africa stood at 172 per 1 000 births. In 2009, the mortality rate among children under 5 had been reduced to 129 per 1 000 live births. The Department of Health here in our own country has introduced measures to reduce child mortality through the use of the primary health care approach to provide early and quality antenatal and postnatal services, as well as essential infant and child health services and nutritional advice. These steps will help to reduce the high maternal and child mortality rates in our country. In addition, the Department of Health has increased vaccine usage among infants and has also introduced new vaccines.
Regarding MDG 5, in 2008 in sub-Saharan Africa the maternal mortality rates stood at 640 per 100 000 births, while in 2000 they stood at 790 per 100 000 births. The Department of Health has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce maternal mortality. These include the provision of universal access to reproductive health. Two further contributors to maternal mortality are HIV and Aids, which are being addressed through the provision of antiretrovirals; as well as bleeding after birth, which is being addressed through the improvement in blood supply in all district hospitals.
Finally, with regard to MDG 6, in 2001 the number of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa per year per 100 people in the age group of 15 to 49 years stood at 0,57, while in 2009 this had been reduced to 0,40. According to the 2011 report on progress in Africa towards the MDGs, South Africa is among five countries that showed a significant decline in HIV prevalence among young men and women. These are just a few examples of some of the advances that have been made towards achieving the MDGs.
While successes are being recorded and advances are being made, a lot of work still has to be done. In the 2011 United Nations report on the MDGs, the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said: "Between now and 2015 we must make sure that promises made become promises kept."
Here in our own Parliament we need to reassess whether we are constantly mindful of the MDG targets as we undertake our everyday work. We will shortly be scrutinising the budgets of departments and we will need to ensure that sufficient emphasis and resources are being provided and utilised in helping South Africa to ensure that it not only meets these targets but also goes well beyond them.
In 2011, during an address at a seminar on the role of Parliament and the provincial legislatures in attaining the MDGS, Minister Manuel said:
In our case, the commitments to development are therefore less about the pledges made by successive presidents to the United Nations on our behalf, but the commitment that we, as legislators, have made to our people.
He went on to say:
If we look at our progress against the MDG indicators, then in many instances we are not only meeting targets but have exceeded them.
As we carry out our work as legislators we need to ensure that the services of government are properly and effectively delivered. But our work goes beyond what we do here in Parliament. Each one of us - and I can certainly speak on behalf of the ANC - is deployed to a particular constituency area. I'm not sure about the members on this side of the House. What we need to do is check how far the implementation of the MDGs has progressed in the communities within which we work. Part of our responsibility is to alert the various departments and Ministers of where interventions may be required. A collective effort from members in this House will go a long way in ensuring that we achieve all the commitments that were made back in 2000.
Millions of people around the world look to legislators to take up their concerns and needs, and we form part of this group of legislators. Together we can make a difference, together we can build better communities, and together we can create a better life for the people of our country. In the coming three years - in the lead up to 2015 - let all of us here in this House ensure that our people experience the realisation of the attainment of the MDGs in their daily lives. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.