One Test at a Time
Posted by
Jen Pollakusky
Free State, South Africa
May 10, 2010
“I am responsible, we are responsible,
and South Africa is taking responsibility.”
– theme of South Africa’s new national HIV counseling and testing campaign
A woman carries her baby wrapped in a traditional Basotho blanket as she arrives at the Thaba Nchu clinic. (Photo: Jon Hrusa) |
Last week, community members flocked to Thaba N’chu clinic in Free State, South Africa dressed in warm, traditional Basotho blankets to listen to district health officials highlight the urgent need to get tested for HIV and halt the spread of HIV and AIDS in their communities and across South Africa.
View a photo story about the events in Free State.
The burden of the HIV and AIDS is widespread in Free State and throughout South Africa. One mother from the community, Angeline Balekwa Ntobi, spoke about losing her daughter to HIV soon after her daughter gave birth. Unable to access prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV services, Angeline’s grandchild was born HIV-positive. But thanks to medicines to treat AIDS provided by the brand-new park home facility at Thaba N’chu clinic, her grandchild is thriving.
Patrick Malokase, a professional soccer player for the Bloemfontein Celtics in South Africa, was moved to speak to community members. “As youth we have to take the responsibility of taking care of ourselves first, taking care of the person next to you, and taking care of your community. As a result, we’ll be caring for the whole nation…so please let’s go out. Let’s test. Let’s care for each other,” said the 28 year-old soccer star. As a father, Patrick stressed the importance of entire families getting tested for HIV, and urged others to follow his example – last week Patrick took his fifth HIV test.
Let's Care For Each Other from EGPAF on Vimeo.
The severity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in
South Africa is staggering – over 5.7 million people are living with HIV and AIDS, including 280,000 children. To address this devastating pandemic, President Jacob Zuma launched an ambitious national campaign in April 2010 to test 15 million people, or one-third of the South African population, for HIV by 2011 in an effort to stop the spread of this deadly disease.
Doing its part to increase HIV testing rates, the Thaba N’chu clinic recently opened a new park home facility to provide counseling and testing for both HIV and TB, medicines for those who test positive for either disease, and other medical services. Thanks to support from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the park home now serves patients from the surrounding communities with HIV and AIDS prevention, care, and treatment services.
Elizabeth Glaser once said, “I want to save my child, but in order to do that I need to save the world.” For the people of South Africa, saving the world starts with one mother, one child, and one test at a time.
Jen Pollakusky is a Public Policy Officer for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation currently based in Nairobi, Kenya.