Western Cape Department of Health to decrease new HIV infections

Oscar Thomas
27 February 2015

The Western Cape Department of Health has signed a Memorandum of Understanding in decreasing new HIV infections by 50 percent by 2016.

MEC of Health Nomafrench Mbombo said in a statement that this agreement is an example of the importance of public-private partnership.

Ministerial Spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube said what these partners will be doing is that they’ll be working a network of private practitioners training them to administer medical male circumcision and HIV counselling services.

Gwarube said this is the very first initiative of its kind in South Africa and we believe it will go a long way to achieve our goals of decreasing new HIV infections.

“The Western Cape government will be providing operational support like consumables such as the circumcision tax and the HIV tests” Gwarube added.