Pretoria - In an effort to increase the number of people who know their HIV status, the Gauteng Health Department is running an HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign for all public servants.
The three-day massive campaign, which started on Wednesday, at Piazza, Fox street, aims to reach the province's target of 3.3 million people by June 2011.
Since the national launch of HCT campaign in April, a total of 340 290 people visited the public health facilities and got tested by 30 June 2010.
Department spokesperson Mandla Sidu said that in addition to HCT, government employees will also have an opportunity to test for common health problems such as hypertension, diabetic and cholesterol.
"The purpose of the campaign is to diagnose HIV, TB, diabetes and high blood pressure at an early stage in order to get people onto effective treatment in time," Sidu said, adding that early treatment reduces unnecessary deaths especially from TB and AIDS.
In an attempt to improve the lives of Gauteng citizens, the department has also increased the number of ARV sites with life-saving treatment being made available in all hospitals and community health centres.
MEC for Health and Social Development Qedani Mahlangu has ordered all clinics to provide the treatment by September, in line with the new treatment guidelines that came into effect in April.
"More than 303 000, including 22 830 children patients are currently on treatment in the province and more than one million patients have been assessed and will gradually be brought into the treatment programme when they reach treatment requirements," Sidu said.
Launched on 25 April 2010, the campaign forms part of government's new and up-scaled HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment plan, which was announced by President Jacob Zuma last December on World AIDS Day.
Through the HCT campaign, government hopes to get 15 million people tested for HIV by June 2011
