The National AIDS Commission (NAC) will take part during the seventh forum for SADC Directors of National AIDS Authorities meeting, to be held in the Democratic Republic of Congo from October 12 to 14, 2009.

NAC will be represented at this meeting by the Acting Chief Executive Mrs ‘Manneheng Mopeli and the Finance Manager Mrs Lerato Khomari.

The theme of the meeting is “Strategies for delivering on Universal Access in times of the Global Economic Crisis”. The overall objective of the meeting is to build consensus on strategies for minimizing the impact of the global economic meltdown on the response to HIV and AIDS in order to deliver on Universal Access and MDG 6 on combating HIV and AIDS, Malaria and other diseases by the year 2015.

The meeting will further discuss specific objectives which include creating an understanding of the impact of global economic crisis on HIV and AIDS financing, building consensus on strategies for effectively responding to the economic crisis within the context of HIV and AIDS and agree on roles and responsibilities for partners. Participants will further identify measures to be undertaken and needs for reducing new HIV infection by 50% and eliminating Mother to Child HIV transmission by 2015 as well as identifying required support both financial and technical.

Lastly the meeting is expected to endorse documents for submission to the Joint Ministerial Committee including the SADC HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework, SADC HIV and AIDS Business Plan, Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) Guidelines and HIV Testing and Counseling (HTC) Guidelines. Issues to be discussed under various objectives will also be presented to the Joint Ministerial Committee.

MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 08/08/09