South Africa's government on Tuesday launched a new research and development program to fight HIV/AIDS. "South Africa is investigating every possible avenue to beat the virus," said Naledi Pandor, the science and technology minister.

The South African HIV/AIDS Research and Innovation Platform (SHARP) will focus on the development of new therapies, diagnostic tests, and vaccines. Pandor's ministry will dedicate 45 million rand (US $5.7 million) over three years to SHARP.

Africans are taking the "seriousness of the disease to heart" by changing their behaviors, Pandor said. "HIV prevalence in the total South African population has stabilized at a level of around 11 percent," she said. "Moreover, there has been a decline in HIV prevalence among young people aged between 15 and 24, from 10.3 percent in 2005 to 8.6 percent in 2008, which is good news."

However, the number of people with HIV age 25 and above increased 1.3 percent from 2002 to 2008, Pandor said. "What is encouraging, though, is the fact that the number of people, especially young people, who reported using a condom in their most recent sexual encounters has increased dramatically, which indicates that we are getting the safe sex message across," she said.