Cyrli Ramaphosa: More needed in the fight against AIDS
While much had been achieved in the fight against HIV/Aids there was still much that needed to be done, South African deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday.
“Our actions now will determine whether our gains can be sustained," Ramaphosa said speaking at the official opening ceremony of the 21st World Aids ceremony.
He warned that infection rates for the disease remained stubbornly high and that more money was needed to fight it.
“We have all been touched by this epidemic. Many lives have been lost. This epidemic has changed our world. The struggle to end Aids has galvanised the world.”
Ramaphosa said that all the world aids conferences had played a critical role in tackling the disease globally.
He also paid tribute to all those that had fought for the right to receive treatment.
ALSO READ: Charlize Theron in South Africa
“The success we have achieved is largely because of you.”
He said that South Africa’s rolling out of the largest anti-retroviral treatment campaign in the world was “a powerful statement to the world about the government’s determination to save lives”.
He said the failure to reach marginalised groups of society affected by the disease was hampering efforts to combat the disease.
“Our actions now will determine whether our gains can be sustained,” he said.