November 12, 2003
Statement on joint cabinet committee: Operational plan for comprehensive HIV and AIDS care and treatment.
A joint sitting of the Cabinet Committees on Social and Economic Sectors today received a detailed briefing on the draft Operational Plan for Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Care and Treatment in our country. The discussion was in preparation for the Cabinet meeting which will take place next week.
The meeting congratulated the Task Team for the research and planning that has been done to identify the operational steps required to enhance the government’s treatment programme, in particular, the introduction of Anti-retroviral Treatment in the public health sector.
A number of comments were made, including areas that require improvement such as the scope of research during the implementation of the programme as well as some legal implications. The meeting also noted that the resources required to implement the programme have been allocated in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, as would be communicated by the Minister of Finance in the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement today.
The Department of Health and the Task Team have been requested to work on the matters raised at the meeting, for the report to serve before Cabinet next week.
Issued by: Government Communications
