Context
South Africa is the country with the most widespread HIV epidemic in the world. In all, some 6.4 million people are living with HIV (2012). Each year about 450,000 people are newly infected with the virus, and 200,000 people die of AIDS-related diseases. The epidemic is one of the largest obstacles to social and economic development in South Africa.
The main reasons for the HIV epidemic are entrenched sexual behaviour with frequent changes of sexual partners and a low use of condoms, as well as low rates of male circumcision. Sexual violence, alcohol and drug abuse increase the risk of transmission. Social inequalities, especially gender-based disparities, coupled with stigma and discrimination are additional factors in the spread of the disease.
The South African Government has established AIDS councils at the national, provincial and local levels. This is intended to kick-start and sustain the urgently needed exchange of information between all state, civil society and private-sector actors involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The councils will also help coordinate intervention measures more effectively. There is still a need, however, for a coherent implementation plan for the national AIDS strategy, one that is properly coordinated and answers to the existing needs. At the same time, educational measures have yet to achieved the desired behavioural changes.
Objective
In the two target provinces of German development cooperation (Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga) young people and employees have altered their behaviour and expose themselves to fewer risks.
Approach
The Multi-sector HIV and AIDS Prevention Programme (MHIVP) strengthens the competence and effectiveness of governmental and non-governmental partner organisations engaged in prevention measures. It also directly supports programmes of youth outreach and health promotion in the workplace.
The programme is assisting the South African National AIDS Council and the provincial and district AIDS councils in establishing results-based steering structures and an effective coordination structure. In the youth sector, it is expanding the available prevention and treatment measures. In this respect, it is working with loveLife, South Africa’s leading non-governmental organisation for HIV/AIDS prevention and youth development. The programme supports the NGO with its monitoring and evaluation and knowledge management activities, and with the development of call centres.
Furthermore, it successfully addresses employees in the automotive industry and agricultural sector through workplace programmes. And it cooperates closely with KfW, especially in the youth sector, for instance for the provision of mobile HIV and TB testing units.
Results
The National AIDS Council and the provincial AIDS councils have started to create functional structures. They now dispose of the necessary instruments for more effective coordination (strategy and working plans, monitoring instruments).
The NGO loveLife offers comprehensive prevention services for young people. The quality of the counselling services through its call centres has improved substantially. Over 90 per cent of callers expressed satisfaction with the counselling they received.
Seven university campus radio stations in the provinces of Gauteng, North West and Limpopo regularly report on HIV issues. Altogether, these broadcasts reach about 85,000 people.
Section 27, another NGO supported by the programme, and the weekly newspaper Mail & Guardian regularly comment on the state of implementation of the national strategy, highlighting any shortcomings. The relevant ministries and organisations respond accordingly.
The workplace programme in the development centre of the automotive industry in the Eastern Cape has already reached approximately 8,500 workers. As a result, the HIV-testing rate has increased from 20 per cent to over 80 percent.