HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign
~ I am Responsible ~ We are Responsible ~South Africa is Taking Responsibility ~
There’s a national HIV Counselling and Testing campaign rolling out right now. I’m ready to test. Are you?
On World AIDS Day President Jacob Zuma made a call to the nation – from individuals and communities to businesses and Government – to take personal and collective responsibility to stop new HIV infections, provide care and support to those living with HIV and to ensure access to treatment for all people in need.
“The mainstay of the fight against any disease is to prevent it from happening,” said Motsoaledi. ” You don’t have to be a scientist to know that. We grew up knowing that ‘prevention is better than cure’ at all times. But if you have failed to prevent it and it has happened, you have to treat it. We do accept that the fact that we have got so many people on treatment, might be the failure of prevention.”
The HIV Counselling and Testing campaign, or HCT, this is the most ambitious HIV testing campaign in the world, according to SA National AIDS Council (SANAC) co-chairperson, Mark Heywood.
It has four objectives: to increase health-seeking behaviour; to encourage South Africans to know their HIV status; to equip those who test HIV-negative with ways of ensuring that they don’t get HIV; and to create a quick and easy entry point to accessing wellness and treatment services for those who test HIV-positive.
From 25 April 2010, everyone attending a clinic or hospital will be offered an HIV test, regardless of whether they have symptoms of the disease or not. Provincial launches will take place across South Africa on 30 April 2010.
Find your nearest testing facility here.
How to use the site:
1. Click on the link above
2. Entre a location in the space provided, and hit Find
3. Tip: Try searching your suburb first, or street and suburb (eg. Lynnwood Rd, Die Wilgers). If it cannot find your street, try a close main street or just your suburb. If it cannot find your suburb, try a suburb or main street near you. It is a powerful search…. Also, you may need to zoom in closer for the HCT sites to appear.
Direct your feedback/comments to Janine Mitchell, Compass Project, tel (012) 816 9012 or email [email protected]
Download the HCT Campaign’s FAQs Document here
Download the HCT Campaign Messaging Booklet here
HIV-911 has compiled a Media Wrap for May 2010. See it here and discuss it on Facebook here
Nerve Centres for the HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign:
Telephone: (012) 312-5674/5416/5030
Email:
Western Cape: [email protected]
Northern Cape: [email protected]
Eastern Cape: [email protected]
Free State: [email protected]
Mpumalanga: [email protected]
Gauteng: [email protected]
Limpopo: [email protected]
North West: [email protected]
To read updates on the Nerve Centres’ and Civil Sector’s activities, click here and here
Enquiries:
For information about Social Mobilization, contact Junaid Seedat at [email protected]
For more information about ART expansion, contact Donald Demana at [email protected]
For general inquiries, contact Celicia Serenata at [email protected] or Jennifer Gregoire at [email protected]
SANAC has set up a Hotline for those who have been unable to get their chronic medications including for HIV and for TB can report their problems. The number is at 012 395 9078/79/81/87/88/89/90 or e-mail: [email protected]. To report such incidents after hours please contact the AIDS Helpline on 08000 012-322.
The HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign was launched provincially on 30 April 2010, across the country.
Important Documents:
The National Department of Health has made available the updated Paediatric, PMTCT and Adult ARV Treatment Guidelines:
Download the 2010 Adult ART Guidelines here
Download the short ART 2010 Guideline
Download the 2010 Paediatric Guidelines
Download the 2010 PMTCT Guidelines
The National Strategic Plan (NSP) simplified handout has been translated into English, isiZulu, seSotho and Afrikaans:
Download the Afrikaans version
For additional resources, The Red Ribbon resource centre should be contacted for all material needs, including Soul City, Khomonani material and Campaign CT leaflets. The contact number for orders 011 880 0405. All materials are available free of charge and will also be shipped country wide at no cost to ordering facility/company/NGO.