The Gauteng Department of Health recently celebrated the graduation of 147 HIV testing services (HTS) counsellors at Accolades Boutique Hotel in Midrand, Johannesburg.

The graduates completed their Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC) in Counselling, recognising them as certified professionals.

Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko explained this qualification was formed to professionalise HIV counselling services.

Nkomo-Ralehoko said this educational milestone marked a significant step forward in the province’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and improve healthcare services.

“Your counselling services will help bridge the gap in HIV treatment. We rely on you to ensure that those diagnosed with HIV are initiated on treatment, adhere to their medication, and ultimately achieve viral suppression,” she said.

The graduation comes at the time when the US recently froze the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) funding on HIV/AIDS treatment in South Africa.

The MEC explained the qualification equipped graduates with the knowledge to support Gauteng’s 95-95-95 HIV strategy, ensuring people know their status, receive treatment, and maintain an undetectable viral load.

The Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, launched on Tuesday the ART (antiretroviral therapy) Gap Campaign to strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto.

South Africa has 7.8 million people living with HIV/AIDS, while 7.5m of them know their status, and at least 5.9m are on ARV treatment.

In collaboration with the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) and other stakeholders, this ambitious programme aims to ensure that 1.1m citizens living with HIV are placed on treatment by December 2025.

“We are looking for 1.1m people who have HIV, but are not on treatment. We are doing this because we do not want South Africans to get used to the idea that there is a disease called HIV/AIDS.

“Our aim is to eliminate the virus by 2030, and the system we are going to use is defined by the UNAIDS called 95-95-95, that 95% of people must know their status.

“Those who are positive, 95% of them must be on treatment. Those who are on treatment, 95% of them must be virally suppressed, they must not have the capacity to transmit the virus to the next person,” said Motsoaledi.

The minister revealed that there are 150 000 new HIV/AIDS cases annually “meaning the virus is still being transmitted”.

Moreover, the HTS counsellors will render their services in communities by providing health talks for civil society, and promote HIV, TB and STI awareness.

The counsellors will be stationed across the province’s mobile clinics to ensure underprivileged communities have access to quality healthcare.

The department last week rolled out 16 mobile clinics across the province’s five health districts to provide health services in underserved communities.

For many of these HTS counsellors, being qualified was not only an academic achievement, but is a life-changing opportunity.

Thirty-five-year-old graduate from Sedibeng, Diphaphang Mokoena, was overjoyed to finally be recognised as a professional counsellor.

Mokoena said his qualification will offer him the opportunity to change his community, which is starkly affected by alcoholism and drug abuse.

“This qualification is going to change my life. I have seen a lot of my peers trapped in the scourge of alcohol and drugs because of lack of education and unemployment. I want to do something better with my life, and maybe get to reach out to my peer as well,” said Mokoena.

The Star

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