Gender relations and health highlighted by HEAIDS

In parliament last week the accomplishments of the Higher Education and Training HIV/Aids Programme was acknowledged

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana had two special guests, students Unathi Bheme and Sithokozile Gcabashe, speak during their budget speech and their moving stories illustrated these accomplishments.

Manana called on HEAIDS to lead the post-school sector and role players in strengthening the protection of women and work to eliminate violence and sexual abuse.

HEAIDS in 2015/16 worked with hundreds of campuses hosting successful testing and health screening and education activations under the banner of ‘First things first’, including that of Monash South Africa in Peter Road. Introduced in 2011, ‘First things first’ has become the vehicle that is mobilising youth to remain healthy and know their HIV status as a basis for maintaining good health and completing tertiary education.

According to HEAIDS director, Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia, “Regardless of the outcome of these on-campus HIV tests, students now in the post-school sector know there are tools and services for them to stay healthy so they can work hard, complete their studies, stand on their own feet in the workplace and society and nurture their own families.”

Students who know their HIV status or test positively for other sexually-transmitted diseases (STIs) or have TB symptoms are referred for counselling and treatment, available either through campus clinics or a referral network. This is often rape survivors’ first point of help.

“Our efforts must be to reach out to every student in the post school sector and we must do everything in our power to prevent what happened at Rhodes from happening again,” Ahluwalia was quoted saying.

“Looking at the story of Sithokozile who was acknowledged in Parliament by the Deputy Minister; who is a sexual abuse survivor, our education system must be in such a way that our students have easy access to HIV/Aids counselling; trauma counselling and help for any other health challenges they may encounter. This would enable them get back into the system and complete their studies.”

He said HEAIDS as an organisation wholeheartedly reports the nationwide call for gender and sexual violence to be addressed as an urgent national priority. The latest protests are led by women students, making it clear that gender relations, too, are a burning issue.

“As partners in student wellness, HEAIDS will use its gender-focused programmes and links with role players to contribute to solutions.”

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