YOUNG people are at the forefront of HIV awareness, not only because they are most affected by it, but also because they have what it takes to change the negative narrative of the disease. This is according to the Blue Roof Life Space (BRLS) Clinic, an institution that is on a mission to reduce HIV morbidity and mortality.
The clinic aims to achieve its goal through case finding, awareness and prevention education for youth and adolescents in the surrounding community. To help create awareness, the dedicated team, headed by clinic manager, Sr Zodwa Sithole will embark on a HIV community outreach programme to engage with the youth of Wentworth and surrounding communities.
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“The clinic has developed an outreach strategy with the main focus on youth, encouraging them to get tested, know their status, get counselling, start treatment if they need to and make informed lifestyle decisions moving forward. We are currently identifying the hot-spots in the Durban South communities where young people socialise the most. This way we can go to them instead of waiting on them to come to us at the clinic. One of the main reasons for this is that we have found that there is a negative stigma attached to being seen going to the clinic, especially by neighbours and friends. It’s like youth are almost ashamed to be seen going to their local clinic because there is this idea that they are ‘sick’ or that something is ‘wrong’. Our outreach task team is also a group of young people, so that it is easier to reach out and relate to the youth,” shared Sithole who is also a qualified professional nurse.
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The BRLS Clinic outreach programme will also partner with the Wentworth Gateway Clinic and is further building relationships with other stakeholders who are doing community mobilisation to partner with. Over and above fostering a positive culture of HIV testing, the programme will create an information platform to debunk myths and misconceptions about HIV in order to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination, find people who have defaulted their medication, conduct index contact testing and increase knowledge around HIV prevention among young people.
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“Although this is a youth friendly space, it is still not easy for some of them to come here. So by going out to the community we are trying to address this issue. Statistics show that young people are the most affected by this virus and we want to change this and let them know that this is a safe space for them,” she said.
The BRLS is a hub for a range of youth services and interventions. The unique space offers friendship and support, health and educational solutions and creative opportunities to help individuals break out of damaging cycles. BRLS is situated at 178 Austerville Drive (behind the Engen Garage). For more information call 031-461-3101.
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