Just days before the international community observes World Aids Day, Health Systems Trust, a National Lotteries Board funded beneficiary and leading NGO in the fields of health systems strengthening and research, will launch Phase 2 of a countrywide HIV Counselling and Testing Awareness campaign to encourage South Africans to know their status and get tested.
The campaign, which is part of a project funded by the National Lotteries Board (NLB), will involve radio adverts in several official languages being broadcast to target people in mainly rural parts of the country. As part of the campaign, workshops on the benefits of testing for HIV will be conducted by professional nurses throughout the country, while INH prophylaxis medication will be delivered to public sector clinics.
The NLB, operating toward its vision to be a catalyst for social upliftment, has granted Health Systems Trust an amount of R85, 281 528 million for both phases of this campaign.
During phase one which started in 2010, approximately 9 374 496 South Africans benefitted from HST’s interventions which involved the procurement of INH prophylaxis and HCT test kits for HIV counselling and testing.
The second phase, which incorporates the radio ads, will be launched at a high profile event in Pretoria. The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will be the keynote speaker at the launch.
The HST has worked in consultation with the Department of Health, have developed the adverts to ensure that clear messages are communicated to people nationwide, who will benefit from the campaign activities.
From December 2013, the ads will be aired in six official languages, mainly on community radio stations to promote HIV counselling and testing. These adverts will be played for the first time at the launch.
Date: 27 November 2013
Venue: Sheraton Hotel, Pretoria
Time: 09h30 – 14h00