NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 639
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 07 March 2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 4)
Mrs P C Duncan (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
Whether any studies have been conducted with regard to the percentage of
(a) children, (b) women and (c) men who are (i) entitled to and (ii)
actually receiving antiretroviral treatment; if not, why not; if so, (aa)
what are the percentages, (bb) how do these percentages translate into
actual numbers for each category and (cc) what steps are being taken to
achieve a 100% coverage?
NW684E
REPLY:
(a)-(c)(i)-(ii) Yes, StatsSA publish annual mid population estimates.
StatsSA use Spectrum model to determine the need for ART.
⢠According to the 2010 mid-year population estimates,
approximately 1, 6 million people aged 15 and older were in
need of ART and approximately 183, 00 children below age 15
were in need of ART.
⢠In terms of ART coverage the number of those receiving ART
(numerator) divided by the estimated number of person in
need of ART (denominator) provide the proportion of those
who actually receive ART.
⢠It is important to note that those who are in need of ART
are estimated and are based on number of assumptions and
calculations that determine the need. Therefore they are
only statistical estimates of need and not patients that
are known and are entitled to care. Consequently, patients
who are diagnosed with HIV infection and are found to be
eligible according to National Treatment guidelines are
offered treatment free at the public health services.
(bb) The National Department of Health (31 March 2011) annual report
indicated that 1,429,000 adults were on ART at the end of the
financial year 2010/11. Therefore about 89% of adult patients in
need were receiving ART and 122,000 were on ART an estimated 67% of
children in need were receiving ART.
(cc) The Department of Health is confident that it will progressively
reach those who are in need of ART. Toward this goal, the
department: is increasing the number of patients accessing year to
year by more than 30%. Furthermore the Department of Health has -
⢠Launched HCT campaign in March 2010 to reach 15 million people
⢠Expanded ART sites from 490 facilities to over 1,900 facilities.
⢠Increased the number of nurses trained to initiate ART from 290
to more than 1,600 and.
⢠Reduced the cost of ART by 53%.
END.