SAPA,

SOUTH Africa's National Health System is on track and striving to meet the Millennium development goals by 2015, according to Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. She said the national health plan had been on track since 1994. Tshabalala-Msimang made these remarks when she addressed the national consultative health forum on primary healthcare. The forum will deliberate on the progress the country has made in implementing primary healthcare in line with the Alma Ata Declaration which was adopted 30 years ago. The declaration focused on delivering healthcare to billions of people around the world by 2000. Tshabalala-Msimang said access to primary health services had improved with the removal of user fees and the building of an additional 1 600 clinics around the country. She said the immunisation drive in the country was at a record 85 percent. Tshabalala-Msimang said the country had improved access to water, sanitation and electricity. On HIV and AIDS, the minister said a 2006 antenatal survey showed a decline in HIV prevalence amongst the youth and pregnant women under the age of 20. She said TB rates were showing a decline while TB patients successfully finishing their treatment were on the increase.