HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign roll-out in Province | Western Cape Government

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HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign roll-out in Province

11 July 2010

Earlier this year in May, the Department of Health launched the provincial HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign. The campaign, formally launched at the Michael Mapongwana Community Health Centre (CHC), marks the provincial roll-out of the largest HIV Counselling and Testing campaign in South Africa.

As from 1 July, the campaign has now been rolled out to all districts within the province, making HIV counselling and testing available at all health facilities.

The Department will now embark on a provincial wide mass awareness campaign to engage and mobilise all people to know their status. The Department is working with public and private partners to reach the set targets. "Through this campaign the Department will encourage more than a million sexually active people, to voluntarily test for HIV and learn their status", said Theuns Botha, Minister of Health for the Western Cape.

Approximately 554 244 tests kits were provided by the National Department of Health for the campaign roll-out. During the campaign the Western Cape aims to test approximately 770 000 people in the Metro region and 330 000 in the five rural districts.

Trained health care workers will offer HIV testing to all their clients. The majority of HIV testing will take place in primary health care facilities, community health centres and at non-medical sites and at events in the broader community.

Issued by:
Directorate Communications
Western Cape Department of Health

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Mark van der Heever
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