Gauteng Health and Social Development MEC, Ntombi Mekgwe, announced during the department's budget for 2011/2012 that R1.912 billion has been allocated to strengthen the fight against HIV and Aids.
She noted that by the end of March 2010, a total of 416 941 people were on ARVs, adding that the department's target is to increase this number to 520 000 by March 2012.
"In order to provide treatment closer to where people live, ARV sites will be increased to 385 by the end of March 2012," said Mekgwe.
By the end of June 2010, 286 ARVs sites had been set up in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Metsweding, West Rand, Sedibeng and the City of Johannesburg.
Mekgwe also noted that mass education to encourage safe sex through schools, wards and NGOs has already reduced new HIV infections in youth between the ages of 15 to 24 years significantly.
The launch of HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign by President Jacob Zuma last April has begun to bear fruit, as more than 2.7 million people in the province had tested by mid June 2011.
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