Rhodes is planning, in conjunction with the National Government, a massive HIV/AIDS wellness drive which will include a free test for diabetes, high blood pressure, iron and Tuberculosis from 5 to 14 May.
The wellness drive and related programmes planned with Rhodes departmental managers and/or immediate supervisors, HIV/AIDS peer educators, Health Care Centre representatives and TAC representatives last week, forms part of the University’s ongoing HIV/AIDS work and follows the recent release of the Higher Education sector HIV/AIDS survey report.
Rhodes staff members taking the tests will need to pre-register and will first proceed to the diabetes, high blood pressure, iron and TB tests, followed by a five to ten minute training session before choosing to be tested for HIV/Aids. Once the training has been completed, a one-on-one session with a counsellor will take place to finalise the rapid HIV test.
A Rhodes staff presentation that was held at the end of March this year to discuss the results of the Higher Education Aids sector survey confirmed that Rhodes needed to provide more support to its staff in terms of HIV/AIDS.
The HIV/AIDS survey indicated particular areas of concern in the incidence of HIV among administration and support staff and also with regards to the need for a more integrated, focused and comprehensive HIV strategy and programme for all staff.
The drive, to be held on four different sites within the University grounds: Biko Building lawns, Eden Grove Bicycle lawns, Kimberly Dining Hall lawns and the Drostdy lawns will be open to all Rhodes staff (including their immediate family members) and students.
The University will receive support from the government for running this wellness testing drive and in the future for offering free anti-retroviral treatment to staff and families from the Health Care Centre.
Government will also provide all materials needed for the drive free of charge, including a dedicated social worker to address issues of HIV/AIDS with staff for at least one year.
Since the results are available within a few minutes, if the staff member is HIV positive he or she will be sent for further counselling and at the same time be given the opportunity to have a CD4 cell blood test to establish the type of treatment needed.
The staff member and his/her family members can then register for assistance through the Rhodes Health Care Centre that is subsidised by the Department of Health or follow their own treatment programme.
If the HIV test is negative the staff member will be given post-testing counselling to ensure they aim to remain HIV negative.
Representatives of the Rhodes medical aids, Rumed and Bonitas, will also be available during the wellness drive for support.
Pic: Front row from left to right: Ms Nontle Hewana, Non-Communicable Disease Manager from Makana Sub District Office, Ms Nonthuthu Faku, Rhodes University Human Resource representative, Ms Christina Gubeni, RUMED representative Disease Manager, Ms Winnie Blom, HIV/AIDS Prevention Manager from the Eastern Cape Health Department, back row Ms Lorna September, HIV/AIDS Treatment Manager from Makana Sub District Health Department and Ms Athina Copteros, Rhodes University Human Resource representative.