Latest news with #ProvincialCouncilonAIDS
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
'We must fight on': Premier Ntuli rallies KZN after R1. 5bn US aid cut disrupts health services in province
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli calls for unity and strategic action as KwaZulu-Natal confronts the impact of USAID PEPFAR funding cuts, urging stakeholders to stay committed to HIV, TB, and STI goal. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli has called for unity, transparency, and resourceful action in the province's fight against HIV, TB, and STIs, following a major setback in international funding and amid broader financial strain on South Africa's public health sector. Addressing the members of the Provincial Council on AIDS (PCA) in Mayville, Ntuli expressed deep concern over the recent cancellation of R1.5 billion in USAID PEPFAR funding by the United States government, a decision that has disrupted critical services and resulted in over 5,000 job losses. 'This sudden withdrawal has disrupted the lives of thousands and set back our long-term plans,' Ntuli said. 'While we respect the sovereignty of nations, we hope President Ramaphosa's current visit to the United States will reopen negotiations and possibly reinstate the funding.' Ntuli urged all sectors to adapt to the current fiscal constraints and highlighted the importance of aligning programmes with the available resources.
IOL News
25-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Urgent call from KZN Health MEC to address underage pregnancies linked to older men
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has called for urgent talks to tackle the growing problem of older men impregnating underage girls in the province. Image: Supplied KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane has called for urgent talks to tackle the growing problem of older men impregnating underage girls in the province. New figures from eThekwini Municipality reported 7,627 teenage pregnancies between April 2024 and April 2025, including 154 girls aged between 10 and 14. The municipality also raised serious concerns about the increasing rate of new HIV infections among adolescent girls. Speaking at a recent Provincial Council on AIDS meeting in Durban, Simelane voiced serious concern over the rising number of child and teenage pregnancies, especially those involving adult men. 'We are extremely worried about the high number of children who are falling pregnant,' said MEC Simelane. 'What is even more concerning is that some of these young victims stop accessing healthcare and social services once they realise that we are legally required to report the perpetrators. In many cases, this is done to protect breadwinners or due to informal agreements between families. But this puts young girls at high risk, especially when they are forced to give birth in unsafe conditions.' Simelane stressed that all clinics and hospitals are legally obligated to report any suspected cases of statutory rape to the authorities. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading 'I want to make a proposal... that we lead from the front in combating this crisis, that between ourselves and district mayors, amakhosi (traditional leaders), and izinduna (headmen), we need to come together and deal with this matter head on because these activities are happening right where we are, children get pregnant in our societies in our communities," she said. 'These incidents are happening in our communities. Unless we talk about it and act decisively, we will continue to see young lives destroyed. We are raising a broken generation if we remain silent.' IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel
