Chairperson, I want to take the opportunity to thank hon members for their contributions to this debate. A number of positive contributions have been made from this podium and we indeed appreciate and welcome those contributions. I also just want to assure even some of those who spent more time on making more noise than facts that we will indeed, nevertheless, we will still look at the facts within that noise, where there are some facts, we will indeed
separate them from the noise and make sure that we can make use of them.
I just want to make some few corrections. The hon Du Toit from the FF Plus misquoted the Deputy President. In terms of the 2 million people, who we are targeting to find, test and treat, is in terms of HIV and Aids, which is the target that has been set through the 1990 programme, to find 90% of those who are HIV positive to be tested, to be put on treatment and also to make sure that they are virally suppressed.
In terms of TB, the shortfall in terms of finding people who have not been tested, it's only 80 000, that is the target which we are working on. As I have indicated in my speech earlier on, just to correct hon Madisha as well who said a lot of things which actually unfortunately are unfounded including saying that some of our hospitals have become shacks, and he wants to include me in that, saying that we are both coming from rural areas.
The rural area in Sekhukhune where I come from, there are no shacks of hospitals. Many of all the clinics in that area has reached the ideal status, hospitals have been upgraded and it
has been made sure that they have got equipment and they are well staffed. So, I don't know where actually, hon Madisha, you want to include me because I have no idea about where he comes from. I know him to be coming from Lebowakgomo where its hospital is well upgraded and well equipped with state-of-the- art equipment.
So, I don't know whether he is including the Zebediela area as well. But also, I don't know whether it's because it's a long time since hon Madisha has left the ANC. He is saying that former President Mandela was diagnosed with TB when he was out of prison, and yet, he was still in prison. He was still a prisoner that was taken from Robben Island who was suffering from chest pains and later diagnosed with TB but was treated during that era.
However, we do appreciate the message that the former President made to make sure that he was one of the champions to inform people about the fact that TB is not a killer disease, but it can kill if it's not detected and not treated. We appreciate that. We also appreciate the contributions by members in terms of which some are about communication with
education material, I think it was hon Hlengwa, in making sure that they are available in all languages.
As I said earlier on, unfortunately, some of the members spent more time dancing and making noise, without actually making any positive contributions. It's not surprising that hon Wilson has left after subsequently dancing because she is not very serious about this issue. We want to assure the hon members that indeed through SA National Aids Council, SANAC, which also focuses on TB, on 24 March which is World TB Day, we will be having a national activity in Mpumalanga.
Already SANAC, including the civil society, are on the ground making sure that people are being tested and that mobilisation is being done on those areas. So, we acknowledge that we can do more. I also want to join hon members in appreciating the work done by health workers, our nurses, our doctors and laboratory technicians who are making sure that we can go out there to screen people, put them on treatment and make sure that they can be cured.
Indeed, I agree with the hon members that TB does not discriminate and in regard, I hope that in that spirit, hon
members, as we tackle various challenges ahead of us, the Coronavirus on top of the TB and the HIV, that we will appreciate the fact that it doesn't matter whether it is TB or Coronavirus, they do not ask which party you belong to, they also don't ask whether you are somebody from high or low income.
These diseases don't choose. So, I hope that this will always inform us, and make sure that we can indeed be united in fighting the scourge of TB and other diseases. Thank you. [Applause.] [Time expired.]
Debate concluded.
House Chairperson: Internal Arrangements adjourned the Joint Sitting at 11:52. -----------------------