Press Releases
Inauguaral Positive Convention on Living with HIV/AIDS
November 2, 2009
On Friday, 6 November 2009, at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Pholokgolo Ramothwala in partnership with PEPFAR agencies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USAID, Johns Hopkins Health and Education South Africa, Soul City’s OneLove Campaign, and Positive Women’s Network is holding a one day conference on Living with HIV/AIDS. The conference, Positive Convention- it’s about living with HIV/AIDS, will focus on multiple aspects of living with HIV or AIDS including social and personal challenges such as:
- Discussing the role of people living with HIV/AIDS in HIV prevention programmes.
- Managing one’s health when living with HIV/AIDS,
- Promoting a positive life style and self confidence amongst people living with HIV/AIDS.
- Information on living with HIV/AIDS including treatment and support issues.
- Networking amongst people living with HIV/AIDS including professionals infected or affected, and
- Tackling issues of stigma and discrimination and encourage disclosure of HIV status.
Approximately 300 participants (including people living with HIV/AIDS) from across South Africa’s civil society, businesses, and individuals will attend the conference. The convention will be addressed by the National Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, the CEO of the South African National AIDS Council, Dr Nono Simelela, Constitutional Court Judge Edwin Cameron, and Dr. Mary Fanning, Health Attaché, United States Embassy.
IMPORTANT:
The event will be held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand. Members of the media are invited to the opening session of the event which will be between 08h30 and 10h30, 6 November, 2009. Media representatives are requested to register for the event. Only accredited media will be allowed inside. For more information please enquire with Pholokgolo on the contact details below.
FOR INTERVIEWS
PLEASE CONTACT:
PHOLOKGOLO RAMOTHWALA – 082 969 8691 (CONVENOR)
MONICA DEA – 079 111 6374 (CDC)
YVETTE RAPHAEL – 073 465 3515 (JHHESA)
DR SUE GOLDSTEIN – 082 851 4080 (SOUL CITY)
PRUDENCE MABELE – 078 383 9529 (POSITIVE WOMEN’S NETWORK)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The 2008 HIV prevalence study by Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Department of Health’s Antenatal survey estimates that there are more than 5 million people living with HIV in South Africa. The HSRC study confirms that in adults aged 25+ years, the HIV prevalence increased by 1.3% from 2002 – 2008. It reports that the epidemic in young females aged 25-29 is at a high level of 33% and it has remained like that. For males, the epidemic has reached new peak of 25.8 % in those aged 30-34 years. Sadly many get lost after going for an HIV test. They don’t know where to seek support or information that speaks to their social and workplace circumstances e.g., financial security, disclosure, support or discrimination at work. Some discover that they are infected when they buy life cover while others discover their status when they decide to have children or when they are already pregnant.
The National Department of Health’s 2008 Prevalence Survey also confirms that nationally, women in the age group 30–34 years still have the highest prevalence, with a prevalence of 40.4% in 2008 compared to 39.6% in 2007. The HIV prevalence among the 15–24 years old (Millennium Development Goal 6, Target 7 indicator 18) was 21.7% in 2008 compared to 22.1 % in 2007 a decline of 0.4%. There is a slight increase in HIV prevalence among young women in the age group 15–19 years from 13.1% in 2007 to 14.1% in 2008.
This is why the convention is important. It will allow people living with HIV/AIDS to interact amongst themselves and experts, can start to address challenges and come up with solutions people face on daily basis. This can encourage more people to test for HIV by creating a safe place for those who are unable to find support in their workplaces and from families. The event will also serve to address the role of people living with HIV in meeting the National Strategic Plan’s priority one (HIV prevention), priority two (treatment care and support), and priority four (human rights and access to justice). uhuihu
The main organiser for the event is Pholokgolo Ramothwala. He is openly living with HIV and hosts an online column about living with HIV. Following email requests sent his online column The Diary of Pholokgolo, asking for a meeting for people living with HIV, Pholo saw the need to create a platform for people living with HIV/AIDS to network and share information. This has never been done before. It will serve as the first step to looking at ways of mobilising people living with HIV and AIDS for HIV prevention, positive life style and support issues.