Zuma promised to consider taking HIV test himself. "I have taken HIV tests before and I know my status," he said. "I will do another test soon as part of this new campaign. I urge you to start planning for your own tests."

"At another moment in our history, in another context, the liberation movement observed that the time comes in the life of any nation when there remain only two choices: submit or fight.

"That time has now come in our struggle to overcome AIDS. Let us declare now, as we declared then, that we shall not submit,” Zuma noted.

He said more anti-retroviral drugs would be provided by his government something the previous government said were too expensive and potentially harmful.

Each year 59,000 babies are born with HIV in a country where 5.2 million people live with the virus, the BBC reported.

The United States has promised South Africa $120 million over the next two years for AIDS treatment drugs.

"It means that people will live longer and more fulfilling lives," Zuma said about the promise.

Apart from treating all HIV-positive children under 1 year old, there would be earlier treatment for patients infected with both the virus that causes AIDS and tuberculosis, and for women who are pregnant and HIV-positive.

Zuma said all health institutions, not just specialist centers, would provide counseling, testing and treatment.

Kenya

A new UN report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that Kenya is among a handful that have reduced the number of AIDS related deaths by as much as 25% in the last eight years.

The UN study also noted prevention programmes initiated by different stakeholders also seem to be working having managed to stabilize the rate of new infections.

According to the 2009 AIDS epidemic update released in Shanghai, China on November 24, about 2.7 million people were newly infected with HIV last year, compared with about 3.3 million in 2001. The decrease is credited to increased availability to treatment allowing more people to live longer.

In Kenya, several campaigns on the usage of condoms have helped in the reduction of infection rates. HIV Testing and Counseling centers have been at the forefront of this fight by distributing condoms, demonstration on condom usage and sensitization in public. Among others, they have been targeting track drivers, boda boda (bicycle) operators, commercial sex workers and other groups prone to the HIV virus.

More than 50 countries still have laws that restrict the entry, stay and residence of people living with HIV based on their positive HIV status only, discriminating against them in their freedom of movement and right to work.

In an interview with a Kenyan recently denied the Canadian visa, he said, "The Canadian embassy has subjected me to rigorous medical tests including HIV/Aids and they hardly disclose the results to you, they simply deny you the visa on vague grounds."