HIVSA - an NGO (nongovernmental organisation) working in Soweto is “over the moon” with the uptake of its HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) community campaign.

HIVSA, supported by the Provincial Department of Health Gauteng and the Anova Health Institute, have tested more than 30,000 individuals since they started their community testing campaign in October 2010. Approximately 3,000 individuals per month were tested for HIV and screened for TB. This initiative is in support of the National Department of Health HCT campaign.

“We have proved that communities do support and embrace HCT when it is provided in a friendly and professional manner,” says HIVSA programme manager, Hester Du Bruyn.

This is a very clear indication that we have come a long way in getting the message through to individuals that knowing your status is important and that testing for HIV is the right thing to do. A fundamental part of the campaign was to support the community with key prevention messages in order to encourage proactive steps to a healthy lifestyle irrespective of HIV status. Supporting our communities at a community level is important and achievable if we are going to scale up access to health services and fast track people into care and treatment.

HIVSA has developed a unique model of capacitating local NGOs and CBOs (community-based organisations), who under their training, supervision and mentorship, provide HCT to the community in their working area. Not only does this approach uplift the skills base of individuals, but it also enables these organisations to add an additional service to the existing support they provide to the communities around them.

The HIVSA community HCT campaign was made possible with financial support from USAID/PEPFAR.