“Take the lead, adopt the culture of know your status”
In South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal is still the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. UKZN, in an effort to combat the disease, provides holistic services to the University community (both staff and students) in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders for improved services.
The UKZN HIV/AIDS and Wellness Programme is aligned with and guided by the country’s National Strategic Plan and Guidelines as well as UKZN policies, procedure and protocols. The Programme advocates prevention and healthy lifestyle awareness at the Campus HIV/AIDS Support Unit located within each campus. Each campus has a health promoter and peer educators to facilitate HIV/AIDS and Wellness awareness, including an HIV counsellor to offer on-campus HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT).
Prevention strategies include HCT, Medical Male Circumcision (MMC), awareness campaigns, condom distribution (to males, females, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) and demonstrations as well as distribution of information and educational material relevant to HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB in addition to sexuality and sexual reproductive health.
The clinical management and monitoring of HIV positive students and staff is offered by campus health clinics located on each campus. In Durban, the ARV treatment programme is initiated at the Cato Manor Clinic to eligible clients who are referred back to their campus health clinic for monthly treatment. In PMB, the initiation is done at the campus health clinic and mentored by the Department of Health mobile unit. Staff on medical aid is referred to their respective medical aid schemes.
HCT is the entry point to knowledge of ones HIV status, reducing denial of HIV and therefore reducing stigma and discrimination. The Programme is sensitive to religious, traditional, gender, racial and risk diversity.
The HIV and Wellness Programme see EVERYONE AS HIV POSITIVE UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE and advocates for HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT).
We encourage the UKZN community to do HCT routinely (at least once a year) whether the person is at risk or not.
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