HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign

The Western Cape Department of Health has embarked on an HIV Counselling and Testing Campaign (HCT) which will encourage people to know their status.

The key components of the campaign prioritise actions to prevent transmission of HIV and the treatment and care of citizens affected.

The intension is to mobilise all people to know their status, by engaging all public and private partners to join hands and reach set targets. The agreed target for the Western Cape is 1,100,000 individuals aged 12, years and older who are sexually active.

Essentially the campaign will elicit the following:

• To provide a more accurate measure of prevalence and distribution of HIV infection; and increase the incidence of health seeking behaviour; and
• Increase access to treatment, care and support.

The need for social mobilisation is critical in order to reach the traditionally unreached people groups, especially where transmission of HIV infection is high.

The theme for the campaign is "I am responsible, South Africa is taking responsibility".

The Health Department seeks to raise awareness and to inform communities about the community outreach activities supporting the HCT Campaign and also to mobilise communities to partake in the HCT Campaign.

HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Campaign Pamphlet