Speech by the MEC for Health and Social Development in Limpopo Mr Seaparo Sekoati on the Occasion of STIs and Condom Awareness

Date: 17 March 2007
Venue: Moutse, Elias Motsoaledi Municipality

Programme Director
Executive Mayor of Elias Motsoaledi Municipality:
Concilours from the Local Municipalities
District Manager
Government officials present
Ladies and Gentlemen

The ANC led government is proud to run this programme in partnership with communities throughout the province. It is in the interest of government, every citizen of the country to have a society that is free from Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV and AIDS. Let us therefore STOP STIs and “Keep the Promise”. Since 1994 we have been in the struggle to push the frontiers of poverty and along side this struggle is the fight against HIV and AIDS and STIs.

Let us all take responsibility of our own sexual health and wellness through early detection and treatment of STIs. This is the message the department of Health and Social Development is bringing to the people of Moutse and Sekhukhune district. Every year we stage one event for the province but this year we have decided to hold them in districts. We hope that in future we will have this kind of events in all municipalities.

For those who might not be aware, STIs or Sexual Transmitted Infections are infections caused by micro-organisms that are passed from one person to another during sexual intercourse. We are all involved in this kind of activity and it is therefore vital for all of us to have open discussions about STIs in public gatherings, be it in schools, churches, funerals etc. These kind of engagement will assist those who are infected but afraid to come out. We need to stop stigmatizing the disease by publicly speaking about the symptoms and management of STIs including HIV and AIDS.

Once a person suspect that he or she has been infected by STIs, that person must go to the nearest clinic or consult a doctor. If it is confirmed that you are infected with STIs, get treatment and immediately notify your partner or whoever you have had sexual intercourse within the last 8 weeks, so that they get treated even if they might not be infected. By so doing, you would have acted and conducted yourself in a very responsible manner. By so doing you could have helped minimize the complications that could have been caused by STIs and you could have also helped in interrupting the transmission of STIs.

By notifying our partners at the early stages of the infection, it could also help infected them in receiving counseling so that we reduce the risky sexual behaviours. Be cautious when notifying your partners, act carefully and responsibly in a way that it does not alienate your partner. Let us avoid accusing our partners of infecting us because they might want to deny having been infected.

To our health care professionals, we must at all times remember to respect the human rights and dignity of people infected with STIs and their partners. We need to treat and manage STIs and HIV and AIDS in the context of Primary Health Care. The principles of Batho Pele apply to people infected with STIs. The process of treatment and notification should be confidential.

Let us continue with our commitment to champion the struggle to help change the behaviour of people in our communities. We have already made achievements since the beginning of this programme and we should continue working in partnership with communities. Our approach remains that of building a constructive partnership between the communities at risk, the health care providers and government agencies.

Let us be consistent in using condoms so that we can be able to prevent STIs including HIV and unwanted pregnancies. Condoms, including female condoms are available at all our health care centres.

I thank you

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