Thank you very much, hon Speaker. Hon Goqwana, we are generally encouraged by the commitment prevailing within the various sectors of the SA National Aids Council, Sanac, in implementing the HIV and Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections National Strategic Plan. We regard the prevailing spirit as essential to a concerted effort of ridding the country and our people of the scourge of HIV and Aids.
With regard to the prevention of new HIV infections, government and all Sanac sectors are rolling out targeted prevention programmes to ensure that those who are HIV-negative remain negative. Examples of these are: social mobilisation; information, communication and education programmes; risk- reduction campaigns; the provision of male and female condoms; the treatment of sexually transmitted infections; and programmes on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.
In addition, Sanac has initiated a consultation process around medical male circumcision. This consultation is particularly important for a number of reasons, including cultural practices. Sanac is also discussing how to make female condoms more readily available.
The recently released Human Sciences Research Council report on the third national HIV survey, that was conducted last year, found that our HIV prevalence rate has levelled off at 10,9% for people aged two years and older. Prevalence has also declined among children aged two to 14 from 5,6% in 2002 to 2,5% in 2008. In addition, the survey found that new infections or the incidence thereof has declined among teenagers aged 15 to 19. These results support our view that the concerted efforts of government and other Sanac sectors are achieving results.
Sanac is currently undertaking a midterm review of the national strategic plan in order to assess progress and to consider what improvements can be made in order to ensure that our targets for 2011 are met. The results of this review are expected in the first quarter of next year and will be made available to members of this House.
In response to the second part of the question, the recently conducted Sanac Women's Sector Prevention Summit, held two weeks ago, explored various HIV prevention strategies for women and girls.
The summit provided a platform for women to actively engage with current research initiatives in the area of prevention. Issues of access to existing and new HIV prevention technologies by South African women were also discussed.
Going forward, the summit resolved, among other things, that the sector would look at interventions on adolescent health and how they could champion this programme in collaboration with other stakeholders; that there needed to be further discussion on the issue of the decriminalisation of sex work; and that working together with the men's sector and other key role-players, the women's sector would become involved in efforts to address the problems experienced by young girls as a result of practices such as ukuthwala [abduction of a young woman for the purpose of marriage] in the Lusikisiki area of the Eastern Cape province. I thank you.