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World AIDS Day is celebrated around the world on December 1st to raise awareness of the HIV / AIDS pandemic. On this day, people around the world are joining forces to remember those who have died of HIV / AIDS.
It is an opportunity to show support, care, patience and love to people living with HIV in order to empower people to know that HIV / AIDS can be defeated. Those living with this disease can lead a fully productive life and those who do not have it can remain negative.
World AIDS Day is commemorated to give hope to the victims of HIV / AIDS and to honor those who have succumbed to the disease.
Local organizations and NGOs providing health services to the population are responsible for educating and bringing hope and support to the victims of HIV / AIDS.
The Umvoti Aids Center in Greytown provides all aspects of health care and support to those infected and affected by HIV / AIDS.
General Manager Sithuthukile Mchunu said Greytown Gazette: "We recently graduated 160 Grade 8 students and nine students from Buhlebuyeza Secondary on the Yolo initiative (You Only Live Once) in partnership with the Department of Social Development, which aims to give young people the social skills they need to reduce behavior. risky bad that puts young people at risk of HIV.
Mchunu said the Umvoti sub-district facilitated the module entitled "My Body, My Life, My Choice", which involved teaching students about HIV / AIDS.
A team from the center visited rural schools in Msinga; including Busani High, Mgwempisi Combined, Primary Ophathe, Combined Siphakeme and Mashingizela High. More than 5,200 students attended the program and were introduced to badually transmitted infections, prevention of teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence and personal hygiene.
Mchunu said, "The Elma program in the umshwati sub-district is a program funded by the Aids Foundation of South Africa (Afsa) to develop HIV prevention, HIV testing services, screening for tuberculosis, malnutrition and antiretroviral treatment of children and adolescents. aged from 18 months to 19 years.
"We are organizing observance clubs in the umshwati subdistrict, which aim to promote adherence to antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV and to provide support system opportunities and a platform for continuing education on HIV management. Those who live with can live a fully productive life, and those who do not, can remain negative. "
Given the high prevalence of HIV among adolescents, the center participated in an initiative of Health Systems Trust earlier this year.
"It's important to balance education, awareness and prevention in all areas of the community. Afsa Dreams was aimed at teenage girls and women aged 13 to 24, "said Mchunu.
The program aims to provide support, education and badistance to those affected and infected by the HIV pandemic in the Umvoti sub-district.
This program provides a place of safety for victims of abuse, nutrition, school uniforms, food parcels, clothing, identity documents, grant facilitation and referral to relevant ministries.
The center also tries to bridge the gap between urban and rural communities by organizing outreach programs in rural villages to educate the community about HIV / AIDS prevention.
Mchunu said, "Umshwati membership clubs, support groups and HIV testing services are daily programs for teams to visit these areas every day. We are often part of school initiatives. So we work in the 14 districts of Umvoti. "
However, education on HIV / AIDS prevention has not yet reached many rural communities.
Mchunu added, "There is still much work to be done to reach the deepest rural areas so that they have access to vital health services. The Ministry of Health is currently using a community model designed to provide health care to the population.
"NGOs like Umvoti Aids Center are designed to fill this gap that still exists. This can only be done with partnerships between the Ministry of Health, the municipalities [local and district]NGOs and companies, especially for the Umzinyathi district. "
She said the center was working closely with all the stakeholders of Umzinyathi district in order to achieve the goal set by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his speech on the state of the early this year to scale up the HIV / AIDS testing and treatment campaign by launching an additional campaign. two million people on antiretroviral therapy by December 2020.
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