HIV testing campaign targets couples

Leading anti-HIV and Aids group, New Start, will this week give couples from Mangaung Metro Municipality a chance to get tested for HIV in a week-long campaign starting today.

The campaign running until August 22 will see mobile testing units set up at the Mangaung Taxi Rank where couples can voluntarily go for counselling and testing for the Aids virus.

New Start Centre senior counsellor Florina Tlali told The Weekly in a telephone interview on Wednesday that the exercise was aimed at encouraging couples to know their HIV status and to be open to each other about their health concerns in order to lead healthy lives.

Tlali said carrying out the counselling and testing campaign around this time of the month was conducive because many people, especially those working in the uniformed services and other government departments, get paid around the middle of the month and many would be in town to pay accounts and other family expenses.

“Some people get paid around the time that we chose to run this campaign and they normally come to town as couples and we found this an opportune moment to get them,” she said.

“And given that August is Women’s Month, we also thought this would be a great gift for couples.”

According to the New Start counsellor, all couples are welcome to the testing centres including married or unmarried partners, heterosexual or same-sex partners as well as long established or newly formed relationships.

During this campaign, both partners see the same counsellor at the same and this, according to the New Start Centre, offers them an opportunity to share some of their concerns and questions about HIV.

After this, they both undergo testing and receive their results together from the counsellor.

The counsellor provides the couples with a conducive environment to discuss their results and the way forward.

“Naturally, some people will be uneasy about the exercise. And so to avoid shocks in some individuals, we thoroughly, counsel them,” Tlali said.

“Testing HIV-positive is not a death sentence. It is actually very important to know your status hence we are encouraging people to test.

“If one tests positive we advise on how to manage the condition including going on anti-retroviral therapy in order to lead healthy lives.

“And if one tests negative, we also advise them on how to maintain a healthy life.”

Apart from special campaigns as the one beginning today, the New Start Centre in Mangaung routinely counsels and tests about 20 people aged 14 years and above who visit its offices per day.

The office also has eight counsellors who conduct door-to-door counselling and testing starting with children as young as two years old upon the consent of parents.

Latest reports from the department of health indicate that the Free State province has the third highest HIV infection in the country at 35 percent with the provincial capital Mangaung having a 31 percent rate.

KwaZulu-Natal has the highest HIV infection rate in South Africa at about 40 percent followed by Mpumalanga at just below 40 percent.

Tlali said that people in the Free State were gradually getting a better understanding of HIV and Aids by undergoing counselling and testing and this was expected to help slow down the spread of the disease as more people now know how to live more responsively.