City of Joburg and Gauteng commemorate World Aids Day

04 December 2017

 

The Gauteng Department of Health and the City of Johannesburg joined hands to commemorate World Aids Day at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena on Friday, December 1 2017. 

 

The Ellis Park Indoor Arena was buzzing at the event, which was attended by government departments, members of civil society, metro/district Aids council members and the public.

In his global address, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé said: “All people, regardless of their age, gender, where they live or who they love, have the right to health. No matter what their health needs are, everyone requires health solutions that are available and accessible, free from discrimination and of good quality.”

World Aids Day is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an Aids-related illness. Founded in 1988, World Aids Day was the first ever global health day.

The departments had various stalls where members of the community had an opportunity to ask questions about sexually transmitted diseases and given information on prevention and treatment programmes. One of the stalls present was B-Wise Health, it presented the attendees with an opportunity to ask health related questions online for free and doesn’t require one to have data. The health experts provide answers to the questions within 48 hours.

Health MEC in Gauteng, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, said: “Be emotionally ready for sexual intercourse as you will end up being hurt, have one partner and abstain if you can and if you are a sex worker use a condom all the time.”

Dr Ramokgopa also visited Princess and Platform 5 informal settlements where she identified families with challenges from 18 years to 29 years, many of the community members had challenges getting social grant due to not having birth certificates or identity documents. Most of the people that had these challenges were child headed households who lost their parents from HIV related illnesses.

Engagement topics took place where people participated and shared their testimonies on how they were infected and affected by HIV and Aids.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura shared the importance of testing regularly when he stated that “600 people are infected with HIV each week in Johannesburg and mostly it’s the youth in schools and universities”.

Premier Makhura closed off by sharing the implementation plan strategy to tackle HIV and Aids which has three pillars. Which are: HIV Free Generation 2030, Increase Life Expectancy and Joined Action.