23% of Eastern Cape citizens are HIV positive

The Eastern Cape Aids Council has expressed its concern about the increase in Aids-related deaths in the province. During a special sitting of the provincial legislature today, the council said it has found that 23% of the people in the province are HIV positive.

The council stated that it must provide leadership to combat the disease and that co-ordination between stakeholders must be improved. Nomsa Jajula, the chairperson of the Eastern Cape Aids Council, says with the surging number of Aids deaths, people should join hands in the fight against the pandemic.

The special sitting was called by the Aids council to give feedback to the provincial government and stake holders on the fight against Aids. Mahlubandile Qwase, the deputy chairperson of the council, says the council's research strategy includes the monitoring of programmes at grass roots level to ensure that they are effective. He says their mandate is to try to curb the disease by the end of year 2014. Qwase says one of their tasks is to educate leadership both in the legislature and politically.

Opposition parties in the Eastern Cape have welcomed the Aids council's findings. However, they called for the council to monitor the spending of the Aids budget.

Men have been urged to use condoms during sexual intercourse.