Health Systems Trust
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate comment
Health Systems Trust (HST) today released its 2017/18 Annual Report highlighting our support to national health systems development, generation of evidence to inform policy implementation and scale up of priority health programmes.
"We are pleased to release HST's annual report for the 2017-2018 year to all our stakeholders and the broader health community, which summarises our work and achievements over the past year," said CEO Dr Themba Moeti.
The evidence strongly shows that many gains have been made in reducing HIV transmission. The new 90-90-90 targets to put an additional two million people on antiretroviral treatment by 2020 has energised our endeavours to ensure people know their HIV status, seek and adhere to treatment.
HST has immersed itself in communities to identify people living with HIV, strengthen tracing of patients lost to follow up, as well as scaling up linkage to care and treatment as part of the SA SURE Plus project support to the national HIV response through PEPFAR funding.
"Building on over a quarter of a century of experience, this report describes our contribution to national efforts to address major health challenges such as HIV and TB, key national initiatives improving health care access such as CCMDD, and research efforts in policy, disease prevention and health systems strengthening as we seek to help achieve a highly performing health system. "
Health priorities for South Africa such as maternal and child health, injuries and violence, the upsurge of non-communicable diseases and improving health service quality through strengthened health governance and management have continued to receive attention through health systems strengthening and research projects.
HST's work has steadily expanded to include clinical trials through implementation of the Tuberculosis Reduction through Expanded Antiretroviral Treatment and Screening for active TB (TREATS) trial in South Africa. This development in HST's portfolio as well as the establishment of a Training Unit delivering accredited training programmes indicates HST's uniqueness as an evolving non-governmental organisation.
ENDS
Click here to download the latest annual report.
For media queries please contact:
Judith Annakie Judith.Annakie@hst.org.za
031 266 9090 (office), 082 782 1276 (mobile)
Antoinette Stafford Cloete A.Staffordcloete@hst.org.za
011 312 4523 (office), 083 507 2941 (mobile)