South African President Jacob Zuma announced to a surprised nation on Sunday that he is HIV negative: his announcement marks the launch of a massive HIV prevention and treatment campaign.

The campaign, described in a UNAIDS statement as “ambitious” and set to alter the face of the AIDS epidemic in South Africa and the world, aims to test 15 million South Africans for HIV by 2011, a jump of 12.5 million or a six-fold increase from 2.5 million, in just 2 years.

Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director, who attended the launch in Gauteng, said the HIV, Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign was the equivalent of “Truth and Reconciliation” for South Africa’s AIDS response.

With this new massive campaign, which aims to more than double the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment to 1.5 million by June 2011 (up from 0.5 million in 2009), South Africa can:

“Break the trajectory of the HIV epidemic,” said Sidibé.

Zuma said this was his fourth test for HIV, which he underwent at the Natalspruit Hospital near his home town in the municipality of Ekurhuleni. He urged people to come forward and be tested and get to know their HIV status.

However, he stressed that he disclosed his HIV status to give leadership and wished to reassure people that even when the testing is in public, the results are confidential.

“Anyone’s HIV status is private and confidential. Disclosure is an individual decision,” said Zuma, who said he did not wish to push pressure on South Africans to reveal their status; his motive was to promote openness and eradicate the stigma about HIV.

“We will not win the war against AIDS if we engage in witch-hunts against people and start campaigns of who is positive or negative as if this was a game. It is a serious matter,” he added, according to African Press Agency (APA).

An estimated 5.7 million people are living with HIV in South Africa, more than any other country in the world. According UNAIDS, this is about one sixth of the global disease burden, and around 18 per cent of South African adults are infected with HIV.

Testing for HIV is an important step towards getting people to talk about difficult topics, like sexuality, violence against women and and intergenerational sex. Through the campaign, by offering practical help, for instance each person tested for HIV will receive 100 free condoms, it is hoped that people will find it easier to discuss HIV prevention and safer sex.

Antiretrovirals cost about 25 to 30 per cent more in South Africa than the average internation price, and remains one of the biggest barriers to expanding treatment. However, the government has recently shifted its policy to reduce the cost of treatment.

Sidibé said he wished to congratulate South Africa’s bold initiative:

“This is the first time any one country plans to scale up HIV prevention and treatment so quickly for so many people,” he said.

South Africa funds more than two thirds of its AIDS response. South Africa’s leaders have promised to increase funding for this year by 30 per cent from last year, to $1 billion US dollars.

Sources: APA, UNAIDS.

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD