This Sunday, Gauteng Premier, Nomvula Mokonyane and Health MEC, Hope Papo will lead an HIV and Aids awareness campaign in Munsieville Sports Complex, Mogale City.
At the event, the department will provide information on healthy living, educate the public about preventative measures as well as services available for those infected and affected.
There will also be an opportunity for HIV counselling and testing as well as other chronic illness such as hypertension, diabetes, TB, cholesterol and cervical cancer.
In the province, new infections among children has dropped significantly from 12 000 in 2004 to 10 000 in 2008, down to 1 700 in 2012. Currently, only two out of 100 babies born to HIV positive mothers are infected with HIV.
New infections amongst young people aged 15 to 24 years has dropped by about 40% from 26 000 in 2004 to 16 000 in 2012. Similarly amongst adults, the number of new infections was reduced from 104 000 in 2004 to 60 000 in 2012.
The Know Your Status campaign has seen an increase in the number of people who test for HIV and for those who test HIV positive, follow-up assessment and counselling is arranged. Those who require TB treatment or ARV’s are also put on treatment immediately to prolong their lives.
Since the start of the Antiretroviral treatment in 2004, Gauteng has initiated 900 000 people on treatment. At the end of 2012, 550 000 people were receiving treatment in the province’s public health facilities.
To encourage people to maintain their negative status and encourage those infected with HIV to live a healthy lifestyle, the department’s health workers are educating communities about the importance of knowing one’s health status, practising safe sex, healthy eating and exercise amongst other things at clinics, hospitals, shopping malls, sports events, hostels, informal settlements and workplaces.
Gauteng has also seen an increased demand for male medical circumcision since the launch of the HIV Counselling and Testing campaign in 2010.
In the 2012/13 financial year, more than 94 000 males underwent medical male circumcision in the provinces public health facilities. These 94 151 operations were conducted in 64 sites (41 clinics and 23 hospitals) across the province.
Under the theme, Zero Stigma and Discrimination against people living with HIV, the emphasis on this day will be to intensify efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination.
Stigma and discrimination hinders people living with HIV from telling their partners about their status, it threatens their access to healthcare and it increases their vulnerability to physical violence therefore this scourge needs to be combated.
To assist the province in conveying messages, there will be musicians such as Zahara, Sfiso Ncwane and Khuli Chana.
Journalists are invited to attend.
Details of the event are as follows:
Date: Sunday, 1 December 2013
Time: 10h00
Venue: Munsieville Sports Complex, Mogale City
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
RSVP:
Patricia Mokoena
Cell: 082 924 8800
