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Education is the focus of Joburg's World
Aids Day, with door-to-door and office-to-office campaigns on the cards.
VARIOUS activities have been organised by
the City to raise HIV and Aids awareness in the run up to and on World Aids
Day, observed each year on 1 December.
Lighting a candle for Aids Day 2008 (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg)
Joburg's efforts are focused on increasing
the level of awareness and understanding regarding HIV and Aids in communities
and the workplace. It highlights and promotes available health services and
educates residents, according to Nkosinathi Nkabinde, the City's health
department spokesperson.
The long-term fight to curb the spread of
HIV requires changes in peoples' attitudes and behaviours. For this, people must
have the right information and skills to understand their choices on HIV
prevention, and how to live positively if they are already infected, he says.
Activities
An out-of school youth project will be carried out in all Joburg regions, with
60 young residents of each region, discussing HIV and Aids. This is scheduled
to take place from 19 to 27 November, entitled Khari ambe, meaning "let's
talk".
A workplace HIV prevalence survey will be
conducted from 23 November to 4 December, which fits into the City's five-year
workplace wellness HIV and Aids programme. The target is all regions, departments
and municipal-owned entities.
Also from 23 November to 4 December,
voluntary counselling and HIV testing at the workplace will be conducted in
conjunction with Jhpiego and Care.
An office-to-office education drive is set
to take place from 30 November to 4 December. Information about Aids and
services put in place to reduce infections will be promoted.
On World Aids Day, there will be a
door-to-door education campaign using over 3 000 trained volunteers, including
approximately 400 Jozi Ihlomile and health promoters, operating in all regions.
Operation Thumamina Education and Clean up
Campaign will also take place on the day, at Denver Hostel in Region F.
Executive Mayor Amos Masondo will join other City councillors at the hostel.
All volunteers will be recruited from the hostel.
The Every Child's Birthday party will be
celebrated at the Kibler Park Recreation Centre with 1 000 orphans and
abandoned children on 2 December, and on 4 December a lunch for elderly people
will be held at the Ruimsig Hall in Region C, for about 700 people.
On 8 December, the Jozi Ihlomile
acknowledgement ceremony will take place, in which volunteers will be given
certificates for their participation in the fight against HIV and Aids.
Background
The City has an important role to play in the fight against HIV and Aids, says
Nkabinde, "as it is affected by the day-to-day impact of this epidemic".
Education is essential; it is central to
helping people avoid infection. Education in communities and in the workplace is
perceived to be the perfect opportunity to translate HIV and Aids awareness
into the adoption of safer sexual behaviours, and will reduce vulnerability to
HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections, says Nkabinde.
HIV infection and related conditions
continue to be a health problem. According to the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV and Aids and the World Health Organisation, an estimated 39,1
million people worldwide were living with the disease in 2006.
Nkabinde refers to a study conducted in
2007 of pregnant women in South Africa attending public health facilities, the HIV
infection rate nationally was 28,1 percent, down slightly from 29,1 percent in
2006.
He says: "The findings suggest for the
first time that the South African epidemic may be beginning a downward trend
and a sustained change in behaviour among young people, including engaging in
safer sexual practices."
The campaign
The City, in conjunction with the Gauteng health and social development departments
will continue its door-to-door education strategy, which was adopted in 2002 to
mobilise resources in the fight against HIV and Aids.
The community programme involves the City
conducting a door-to-door information sharing campaign, with the help of other
role players such as the Reproductive Health and Research Unit, NGOs and City
councillors.
More than 3 000 community members across
all regions will be recruited and trained to participate in the campaign on 1
December. Information shared will focus on basic facts regarding HIV and Aids,
including the promotion of prevention, counselling and testing. Information on mother-to-child,
antiretroviral treatment programmes will also be available.
The workplace programme will be conducted
in accordance with national and provincial strategies and guidelines. About 400
educators will be briefed on the basic facts of HIV and Aids, voluntary
counselling and testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and antiretroviral
treatment programmes.
Also relayed will be the City's workplace
wellness, HIV and Aids prevention, care and support programme. According to Nkabinde,
the information will promote a spirit of co-operation and shared responsibility
among City employees.
The office-to-office drive will be
conducted from 23 November to 4 December in all seven regions, departments and
municipal-owned entities, by targeting employees in their respective offices
and workplaces.
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