2009-11-30:City marks World Aids day
World AIDS Day is observed Internationally annually on the 1st December, as part of its commemorations, the City of Johannesburg has been embarking on different activities as a build up.
The City of Johannesburg will be conducting a citywide HIV and AIDS Awareness Campaign on the 1st December 2009.
About 3168 community volunteers including Jozi Ihlomile, 32 commercial sex workers in Region F, health promoters, councillors and city’s officials will participate in the door-to-door community awareness campaign.
Education covers the importance of testing for HIV and increase the level of HIV and AIDS awareness and understanding in the community. It also highlights social issues fuelling the HIV epidemic: poverty, gender imbalances, substance abuse, and sexual abuse. The campaign also seek to promote available services in the community, community health centres and at workplace in the support for people infected and affected by the epidemic.
The City of Johannesburg’s HIV and AIDS awareness programme include the following events:
From 19-27 November 2009, the City has embarked on the campaign called “Kha ri ambe” (‘lets talk’). It is a dialogue on HIV and AIDS targeting youth out of school in the seven Regions. 60 youths has been participating in the dialogue per region. Topics covered include: Male Circumcision, Teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, drug abuse and Moral regeneration in relation to HIV and AIDS.
On 01 December 2009, ‘Operation Thumamina’, Executive mayor, councillor Amos Masondo, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health in the City of Johannesburg, councillor Bengeza Mthombeni, councillors, senior officials and 50 volunteers will conduct a door-to-door education and clean up campaign at Denver hostel and surrounding informal settlement. Reproductive Health and Research Unit will provide Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) services on the site.
As part of the City of Johannesburg’s World AIDS Day celebrations, the City will host children’s party under theme “EVERY CHILD’ S BIRTHDAY” on the 2nd December 2009, targeting 1000 orphans and vulnerable children across all the regions of the City of Johannesburg.
The City has seen a slight drop in HIV infection rate from 30.6% in 2006 to 29.7% in 2007. This drop is a result of initiatives like the Jozi Ihlomile programme and increased access to voluntary counseling and HIV testing provided in all health facilities in the City of Johannesburg.
The City of Johannesburg Health Department urge all the community members to participate in the campaign by supporting and allowing identifiable volunteers into their homes. All sectors (Non-Governmental Organisation, Faith Based Organisation & Community Based Organisation) are also urged to intensify the dissemination of information during the campaign week promoting care and support for people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.
For more information contact:
Nkosinathi Nkabinde
Communication Specialist
City of Johannesburg Health Department
Telephone: (011) 407 – 6477
Cell phone: 083 408 7787
