AP TELEVISION

28 November 2013

1. Wide of interior of clinic, HIV patient having blood taken

2. Mid of patient and nurse, with blood vials in the foreground

3. Close of blood vials

29 November 2013

4. Wide of Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, walking with a colleague from UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)

5. Close of Wandira-Kazibwe walking

6. Wide of Wandira-Kazibwe and colleague walking up the steps

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa:

"There is cause for optimism. One: because technology has gone a long way in showing us what to do, but also because the lessons we have learnt over the last 10 to 20 years have shown us that despite the technology, we also need to address people's behaviour, in that we must keep hammering that message on top of the technology which has shown us that we can actually reduce transmission rates, we can reduce deaths due to HIV/AIDS, we can prolong healthy and productive lives because of this technology. So that brings a lot of optimism on the table."

8. Wide of Wandira-Kazibwe talking to a colleague

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa:

"I think the rural infrastructure is key for the delivery of social services of any kind, but I think from the health system approach, we need to redefine what we have been talking about, because currently what goes on in the home will determine whether this mother, this pregnant woman will actually board that bus and go for the testing and continue going to receive her treatment. As we speak now, many countries in Africa, and if you look at those countries which are hardest hit by the epidemic, they do have reasonable numbers of health personnel who can do home visits, in other words, getting to these homes, to talk to them at a personal level."

10. Wandira-Kazibwe talking to a colleague

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa:

"The message across the continent is that resources within the country have to be upped for us to be able to put our hands together with our partners, to support us fight the epidemic and the message is that we must engage all sectors in this fight, use resources optimally to make sure that all the elements that lead to firing the epidemic are addressed."

12. Wide pan across a discussion forum on HIV/AIDS in Africa

13. Close of Wandira-Kazibwe at the forum

14. Wide interior of discussion forum

The United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa said that there is "optimism" for Africa's fight against the AIDS epidemic.

Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe was in Johannesburg on Friday on the sidelines of an AIDS discussion forum.

She emphasised that, despite a reduction in levels of AIDS-related fatalities across the African continent, there is still much more to be done to further address the spread of HIV and AIDS.

"There is cause for optimism. One: because technology has gone a long way in showing us what to do, but also because the lessons we have learnt over the last 10 to 20 years have shown us that despite the technology, we also need to address people's behaviour," said Wandira-Kazibwe.

Despite the fact that "Statistics South Africa" estimates the total number of people living in South Africa with HIV has gone up by more than a million in the past 10 years - from four million in 2002, to more than five million in 2013 - there is living proof that improved governance and better education is making life easier for those living with HIV.

In the age group 15 - 49, the HIV prevalence is 15.9 per cent.

"As we speak now, many countries in Africa, and if you look at those countries which are hardest hit by the epidemic, they do have reasonable numbers of health personnel who can do home visits, in other words, getting to these homes, to talk to them at a personal level," said Wandira-Kazibwe.

World AIDS Day this year is Sunday, 1 December.

The first World AIDS day was celebrated 25 years ago.