The KwaZulu-Natal government to unveil its campaign to have all people tested for HIV

28 April 2010

The government of KwaZulu-Natal will unveil its 14 month campaign to have people tested to know their status this Friday, 30 April 2010.

This campaign follows the announcement by the President of the Republic during the World AIDS Day of 2009 and his public testing and making known his HIV status. During the budget policy speech of 2010/11, the MEC for Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, announced that this campaign will rolled out in uMgungundlovu on 30 April 2010.

The aim of the campaign is to:

* mobilise people to know their status
* Support people with key prevention messaging in order to take proactive steps to a healthy lifestyle irrespective of HIV status
* Increase incidence of health seeking behaviour
* Increase the access to treatment, care and support.

“The department aims to cover over 3.5 million people over a period of 14 months. Our President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) partners have been mobilised in this regard. This testing campaign will ensure that all people eligible for ARV are identified and put on the programme. Currently, the department has 335 148 people on treatment and plans to target 470 472 in 2010/11,” the MEC said during his budget speech.

The campaign will be rolled out under the theme: I am responsible. This seeks to encourage people to take personal responsibility for their health and HIV status i.e. if one is HIV negative, to stay negative, if one is HIV positive, to seek support and services to ensure they are healthy and don’t spread the virus to others, their partners or children. We can all be leaders. We can take more responsibility to do more as individuals, as communities, and as a nation to fight HIV and AIDS.

As communities:

* we should mobilise to overcome the challenges and barriers to HIV prevention
* we should fight ignorance and complacency related to HIV
* we should increase the awareness about the severity of epidemic and the continued impact that HIV is having on our communities
* we should make sure that HIV prevention services; HIV testing, support, care and treatment are available to all who need them
* we should work to prevent stigma and discrimination—and to increase support for people living with HIV.

“As a nation, we must recognize the epidemic here, in this province, for the crisis that it still is. We must implement the programmes that scientific evidence tells us are most effective. We must ensure that those who need effective prevention interventions have access to them and we must come together to intensify efforts and the stop this epidemic. For South Africa to turn the tide on HIV and HIV related deaths, KwaZulu-Natal must do even more because it is where the epicentre of the HIV burden is in South Africa. Together, we have the power to change the course of the HIV epidemic in the KwaZulu-Natal,” the MEC added.

The media is invited to join government, civil society, traditional and faith based leaders during counselling and testing to be held as follows:

Date: 30 April 2010 (Friday)
Time: 08h00
Venue: Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg

Enquiries:
Chris Maxon
Cell: 083 285 0567

Issued by: Department of Health, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
28 April 2010