Govt sets aside R900mil for antiretroviral programmes

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Cape Town - Government will provide a total of R900 million to accommodate a higher take-up of anti-retroviral treatment, with government spending on HIV and AIDS programmes increasing to R4.4 billion this year, from R1.1 billion in 2005.

Treatment is expected to exceed more than 300 000 new entrants a year. By the end of March next year, nearly 900 000 people will be receiving antiretroviral treatment. About 80 percent of new HIV and AIDS cases will be entering treatment by 2011/2012.

The Department of Health has also introduced three new health vaccines and plans a mass vaccination campaign to reduce the incidence of measles

A new occupation-specific salary dispensation for medical workers, introduced in 2007, is to be phased in over a three-year period. The salary scale will help the public sector attract and retain skilled professionals.