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| January/February 2008 Issue | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Letter from the editor
Welcome to the first AAAO edition of 2008. As academics, business men and women and people affected and infected with HIV, we often believe we have the answers to the HIV/Aids epidemic. Why then do we still have some of the highest new infection rates in the world? A recent study by the HSRC found that over 500 000 South Africans were newly infected with the HI virus in 2005 with young females having six times higher infection rates than young males (see RESEARCH FACT FILE). When this study is repeated in 2008, we will know whether the NSP 2007 - 2011 has been effective in reducing new infections from the 2005 levels. AAAO January/February 2008 focuses on the first priority area of the NSP, namely Prevention. A total of R2,1 billion in additional funds have been budgeted for HIV and AIDS from 2008 - 2011. Trevor Manual said in his budget speech on 20 February that these funds "should allow 500,000 more people access to treatment in addition to the 418,000 already on treatment, as well as increasing the numbers of people tested and expanding a range of prevention programmes." We have taken a step back and asked: What prevention methods are actually working on the ground? Diane Ritson of People Management shares her recipe for success with us. She has obtained a participation rate of more than 80% in her Voluntary Counselling and Testing campaigns. Diane's passion for people and her pragmatic approach provide a refreshing insight into why people change their behaviour. Who better to ask what can be done to reduce high infection rates amongst the female youth, than the female youth themselves? Thandiwe McCloy, a young female journalist with LoveLife shares with us her suggestions as to what the driving forces are behind HIV infection in the youth. As business we could easily turn our back on the youth assuming that government and NGO's should take responsibility. Thandiwe outlines some very interesting suggestions as to what incredible contribution business can make towards HIV prevention amongst the youth. The challenge lies in creating the need to "own your status".
 Ownership is the keyBy Diane Ritson
It is not who you are but what you do that puts you at risk of contracting HIV. With the launch of the National Strategic Plan on HIV and Aids, it is very clear that we have a huge challenge ahead of us. Despite this, we are experiencing an unprecedented sense of apathy towards this message and are in a total stage of Aids fatigue. Albert Einstein once said that "we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them". Looking at the results that the awareness campaigns have yielded over the last two decades, it's clear that we are going to have to change our thinking dramatically if we want to see a different outcome in the generations to come.
The question remains: why - despite unprecedented levels of awareness - do we so often act contrary to our own self interest? The problem is not that we don't know, but that we simply don't act appropriately with this knowledge. I believe the secret lies in ownership - but what creates ownership? The Own Your Status campaign as facilitated by PeopleManagement is based on changing the belief system around HIV and AIDS. By using a simple formula of transmission of information, PeopleManagement helps individuals to understand the risk, but also the value of knowing their status. The message around re-infection and the ability of the body to build CD4 cells (if there has been early detection) creates a WANT to know. However the most powerful of messages is the systemic impact this disease could have on the family and the community. The prime objective is to create an intimate understanding of the total picture of the disease and also to give people the opportunity to test. This is done without creating fear and guilt - ultimately creating a WANT to control. An example of the success that PeopleManagement had with applying their formula even extends to traditional leaders. After explaining the formula to 16 traditional healers during a community project, all 16 wanted to test. Another example is that of an old fisherman. He proudly said in front of 47 of his colleagues that we must not come and tell him not to have sex as he had 5 wives and 16 children who are his "wealth". After explaining, through graphic representation, the formula and the systemic impact his "not knowing" could have on his wealth, all 48 fishermen decided to test. The man tested HIV negative and had a very emotional post-test counselling session. Realising the risk that he had put himself and his whole family in was a very emotional experience for him. We often encounter single people who are terrified of testing as they know they have been putting themselves at risk. Often married people are also afraid of testing as they suspect their partner is / has been unfaithful. And of course many girls who have been raped simply do not have the courage to test. We have changed thousands of people's lives by testing them HIV negative while they were living in fear of a HIV positive result. By doing this within the context of real knowledge, we have empowered them to WANT to make the choice to stay negative. The value of testing people HIV positive during this process is the value of early detection. With access to the right treatment and support HIV is now a chronic manageable disease, requiring life-long treatment much like diabetes does. We need to create a space where people WANT to become responsible, WANT to practice self discipline, WANT to respect themselves enough and WANT to have a wholesome and purposeful life.
If we want to change the "have to" to "want to" we need to change the belief system. I think- I believe - I do. However If I believe I am at risk; If I believe I have control; If I believe I can say no; If I believe I have value; If I believe I do have the right - My actions change. So what is the solution? We as a society must WANT to do this rather than HAVE to, to ensure ownership. We have to open the debate; we have to flood the market with empowering education; encourage testing; encourage self discipline and responsibility; encourage purpose; we have to make it personal, individual and life changing. We have to create strong role models both HIV positive and HIV negative - who LIVE the message. If each person uses their circle of influence to showcase this commitment, the message could spread faster than the virus and we can turn the tide on this epidemic - because we WANT to not because we HAVE to.
Diane Ritson has been active in the field of HIV and Aids for the last 15 years. Her company PeopleManagement has been focusing on the impact of HIV on business for the past 9 years. She has just launched her education program on DVD in 7 of our official languages under the Siriti Africa brand and will soon have this product in French and Portuguese to spread this message into the rest of Africa. The "own your status" campaigns are achieving an average of 83% take up of voluntary counselling and testing.
"My vision is to give as many people as possible an informed choice with regard to this disease - because I WANT to."
 Open opportunityBy Thandiwe McCloy By providing young people with study and work opportunities, businesses can play a powerful role in curbing HIV infections. Imagine a recently matriculated 18 year old girl sitting at home feeling bored and disappointed. The jubilation of passing with a matric exemption has now faded as her parents can't afford to pay for her tertiary education. Having received very little career guidance, she doesn't know much about study loans and bursaries. She looks for a job as a domestic worker, but all her attempts prove glaringly fruitless. Feeling she needs to contribute to her family's income, she finds a sugar daddy - an older, working man - who gives her money in exchange for sex. When her sugar daddy sleeps around, she doesn't complain because he's older, and holds the money for her survival. In this way, she's put at serious risk of HIV infection. Many young South Africans find themselves in similar situations. Hundreds of school-leavers believe they have few opportunities. It is in the first five years after leaving school that they (women in particular) are at highest risk of HIV infection. In fact, HIV in school leavers is fanned by perceptions of scant opportunity. In South Africa 18 to 21 year old women are at highest risk of HIV infection. Young women are at especially high risk for a number of reasons - they believe there are few opportunities to support themselves and are more likely to seek relationships with older, richer men who put them at risk of contracting HIV. While still at school, young women can gain a sense of self-worth by attending classes, excelling in tests and exams and engaging in enjoyable sporting activities. With school over for good, some try to regain their sense of self-worth by becoming mothers. Being a mother calls for unprotected sex which leads to an increased risk of HIV infection. Young men and women who matriculate believing that they have no opportunities are more likely to take risks such as not using condoms and be promiscuous. Through employment, a chance to study, an opportunity to gain work experience or an opening to be a volunteer, they can gain hope and confidence. Giving young people opportunities helps them to achieve a sense of pride and purpose; this makes them feel that they are too important to sink to the depths of criminal activity. The young person who believes he has no chance to live a better life is more likely to hold you up, steal your car, rob your home and break into your business. And if a young person can take risks that come with being a criminal, he can probably take risks that lead to HIV. Businesses can therefore play a huge role in curbing our high rates of crime and HIV. Companies can contribute towards HIV prevention, by providing Learnership schemes. They can have volunteer placements and provide lunch, a stipend and transport money. Voluntary work cannot replace employment, but it often helps the youth by connecting them with the mainstream economy. With a million-plus young people entering the labour market every year and approximately 600 000 formal businesses in the country, every school leaver could gain work experience if every company hosted just two volunteers a year. Companies can also invest in scholarships and bursaries, and visit high schools on career days. In addition to having comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace programmes, companies can encourage their staff to mentor young people, giving them skills and motivation to strive for success. By pushing young people forward, you push your country forward thereby contributing towards building a healthier, wealthier, safer South Africa. If you are a business wanting to provide opportunities for young people, you can start by providing an opportunity to a loveLife ex - groundBREAKER. loveLife groundBREAKERS (peer educators) provide sexual health and motivational information to young South Africans for their year - long tenure. You can contact loveLife Alumni on (011) 523 -1000. Thandiwe McCloy is external media coordinator at loveLife. She graduated from Rhodes University and has been a journalist at loveLife for five years.
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In this issue
Change in format of fact files: We would like to provide you with an extract from recent published research around HIV and AIDS as well as an extract from the new National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS (2007 - 2011). The RESEARCH and NSP Fact Files will therefore replace the previous Prevention, Legal and Employee Benefits Fact Files.
Research fact file
EXTRACT FROM: National HIV Incidence measures - new insights into the South African epidemic by Thomas Rehle, Olive Shisana, et al. (S Afr Med J 2007; 97: 194-199)
"HIV incidence in the study population aged 2 years and older was 1.4% per year, with 571 000 new HIV infections estimated for 2005. An HIV incidence rate of 2.4% was recorded for the age group 15 - 49 years. The incidence of HIV among females peaked in the 20 - 29-year age group at 5.6%, more than six times the incidence found in 20 - 29-year-old males (0.9%). Among youth aged 15 - 24 years, females account for 90% of the recent HIV infections. Non-condom use among youth, current pregnancy and widowhood were the socio-behavioural factors associated with the highest HIV incidence rates.
Conclusions: The HIV incidence estimates reflect the underlying transmission dynamics that are currently at work in South Africa. The findings suggest that the current prevention campaigns are not having the desired impact, particularly among young women."
NSP fact file
Key priority area 1: Prevention
ESTIMATED HIV AND AIDS VITAL STATISTICS FOR 2008
Source: Nathea Nicolay from ASSA2003 Aids and Demographic model
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Published by Editorial Board Leonie Engelbrecht
Nathea Nicolay
Nosipiwo Ngxabazi Tjaart Esterhuyse | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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