| SAPLER Population Trust | |
| Splendidly Alive People Within Limited Environmental Resources | |
National Survey
We think the Survey is still mostly relevant and its lessons have yet to be learned. We stand by what we have said before and are willing to be judged by it.
SAPLER's national survey was published in May 1995. Since 1994, the Health Department has been restructured. But that is not the issue - during this time (until May 1999), HIV infection has more than tripled from an estimated 1.1m people to 3.8m., because there are between 3 and 4 million cases of sexually transmitted disease (STDs) every year. (The transmission rate of HIV in a sexually healthy population of heterosexual people is too low to sustain an epidemic).
The thinking that this is primarily the responsibility of the Health Department is a major part of the problem. As Thabo Mbeki said in his declaration on 9th October 1998, launching the Partnership Against Aids, "HIV is not some-one else's problem. It is my problem. It is your problem".
The survey's introduction said:
Population and STD problems are more a matter of organization and leadership than of people genuinely wanting to start large families at an early age or to die of AIDS.
Whatever the hitch is - meet it.
Spare no cost to reach the "difficult-to-reach", but work cost-effectively.
Find ways which are the best possible in the circumstances.
Outreaches to schools must be frequent and must leave someone behind - a teacher, a pupil, a club - with petitions and material.
Suggest to the school kids that they come up with tougher answers themselves. There is a killer disease out there."