Covid-19 closes down HIV testing services at Witkoppen Clinic

Fourways based non-profit Witkoppen Clinic has announced that they will be pausing their HIV testing services and making staff retrenchment, due to termination of funding of one of their programmes by external sources.

The clinic will discontinue their HIV testing services from October 1, 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including termination of funding of the programme by external sources.

The clinic no longer has access to financial resources necessary to offer HIV testing in communities.

In a statement, the clinic highlighted it would continue as normal, despite the challenge.

“Following the onset of Covid-19, all fundraising activities planned for the 2019/2020 financial year were cancelled, with our reserve funds allocated to service patients during the pandemic. To ensure organisational and financial stability for the 2020/2021 financial year, we will, unfortunately, have to retrench 126 employees,” according to Dr Jean Bassett, Director at Witkoppen Clinic.

“While Witkoppen staff will no longer be able to provide HIV testing within communities, the clinic itself will remain open to care for the community’s health needs, as it has done for many years. HIV testing and antiretroviral treatment will still be available to anyone who visits the clinic.

“In order to keep the affected staff employed, Witkoppen Clinic is appealing to potential funders and donors for assistance. With funding, the clinic would be able to continue HIV testing, TB and Covid screening in Diepsloot and surrounding areas, providing an essential service to help fight the spread of Covid-19, HIV and TB – the biggest infectious disease killer worldwide.”

The Fourways-based clinic services around 1.4 million people from local communities in the Diepsloot, Kyasands and surrounding areas.

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