South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka Thursday urged South Africans to show their concern for HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) in the country with the largest infected population in the world.

Speaking at Kings Park Stadium in coastal city of Durban on World AIDS Day, she said people should take concrete action in their everyday lives to show their concern.

With a total population of 47 million, South Africa has 5.2 million people or 11 percent of the population infected with HIV/ AIDS.

"There are 364 other AIDS days during the year, during which we must maintain existing efforts and mount new responses to HIV and AIDS," the deputy president said.

"Whatever good we do today let us repeat it tomorrow, next week and in the coming months as we look forward to the years ahead," she said.

Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang lit the traditional flaming ribbon of hope at the stadium on Thursday morning.

"The solution that will make the greatest impact right now is to prevent every new infection that we possibly can," Tshabalala- Msimang said.

"What's needed for this is for society to say together, 'we won 't be defeated.' We will live our lives to prevent infection. We will know our HIV status by being tested. And we will lead our lives responsibly so that we provide maximum care to people around us," she said.

This year's World AIDS Day was the culmination of an eight-week "pledge for life" campaign, which started on October 9, the anniversary of the Partnership Against AIDS.

At the start of World AIDS Day, 353,000 pledges from all around the country had been counted by the campaign operations room in Johannesburg, the health department said.

Throughout the day -- at the national event in coastal city of Durban, at 41 community events in all provinces, and at commemorations organized by business, local government and provinces -- efforts to boost the total number of pledges continued.

The pledges did not necessarily deal with monetary donations.

Rather, they addressed personal behavior and social commitment, and were a sign that people were taking responsibility to help prevent the spread of HIV, to create a climate supportive for people living with HIV, AIDS and TB, and to reach out and care for those affected.

Source: Xinhua