MEDIA STATEMENT
2015 First Things First HIV testing and health campaign kicks off
Better health outcomes key to educational and social progress
Mokopane, Limpopo, 23 February 2015 - Today, close to thousands of students from the Waterberg TVET
College joined the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana, college staff and
municipal executives and leadership to launch the 2015 First Things First programme.
During the event, they tested for HIV and had screening for TB and STIs. The participants and guests also
discussed health more broadly, including social, behavioural and gender issues that affect health-seeking
behaviour.
First Things First is the flagship HIV testing and STI, TB and health screening and promotion programme
of the Higher Education and Training HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS), which is implemented through
the 50 technical and vocational education and training colleagues (TVETs) and 23 public sector higher
education universities.
In its fifth year, First Things First speaks to the priority of South Africans to look after their health and
encourages particularly youth to know their HIV status and screen and treat STIs and TB. It is strongly
supported by the Departments of Higher Education and Training and Health.
A firm champion of the HEAIDS programme, Deputy Minister Manana urged the Waterberg TVET
students and their peers across the community to take HIV and their health seriously.
Deputy Minister said: “Every day, more than 1000 new HIV infections occur in South Africa. Most are
among young people – the very foundation of our country’s future – and most are among young women.
We have no higher priority today than to close the tap on new infections. We must do all we can to treat
and support people living with HIV and AIDS – but we cannot treat our way out of this epidemic.”
His focus on prevention is evident from the fact that over half of the world’s young population infected
with HIV lives in the Eastern and Southern Africa. In this region, 2.7 million people aged 15-24 – most of
them women – are at a high risk of becoming infected with HIV.
“While we are here in one of our educational institutions, it is important to note that this programme’s
significance and benefits will stretch beyond the higher education and training sector. I urge us to commit
to protecting our health – and give a special role to protecting our young women. South Africa can only
prosper socially and economically if we protect as well as enable young women to draw on their inner
strength and nurture power and self-confidence.
“Our sector is in a unique position to lead a movement that achieves this from the inside, as well as
through links with all other spheres of South Africa,” said Deputy Minister Manana.
Dr Ramneek Ahluwalia, Director of HEAIDS, echoed Deputy Minister’s calls for leadership and
commitment to boost HIV prevention and better health outcomes.
“HEAIDS has a community of two million students in higher education and training institutions. We know
from previous studies that pursuing post-school education has a protective and enabling effect on young
people – and hence it is our role to provide them guidance not only in relation to HIV, TB and STIs but also
family planning, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, alcohol and substance abuse. HEAIDS
provides a comprehensive programme targeting young South Africans at this crucial stage in their sexual
development. HEAIDS objectives remain to provide South Africa with a healthy next generation of labour
for economic sustainability for our nation,” said Dr Ahluwalia.
ends
Issued on behalf of HEAIDS by Meropa Communications, telephone 0115067300. For information and interviews, contact
Zenzele Bam, email [email protected], cell 0728915290 or Luyanda Majija, email [email protected], cell
0786262296.
About First Things First
The award-winning campaign is a public-private initiative led by HEAIDS in partnership with the Foundation for
Professional Development (FPD) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); the Departments of Higher Education and
Training, and Health; and the SA National AIDS Council (SANAC).
First Things First is an essential implementation element of the 2012-2016 National Strategic Plan for HIV, STIs and TB,
as it provides for the testing of large numbers using HIV rapid finger prick tests, supported by appropriate pre-test
and post-test counselling and education. First Things First speaks to the priority of HIV Counselling and Testing
(HCT). The campaign unites tens of thousands of students and staff at higher education and training institutions
across the country to reject HIV stigma and test to know their status. It is a necessary step to accessing treatment, care
and support and preventing new infections.
About HEAIDS
The Higher Education and Training HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS) is an initiative of the Department of Higher
Education and Training that is undertaken by Higher Education South Africa (HESA) to support public universities
and Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges (TVETs) in responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic
through their core functions of learning and teaching, research and innovation, and community engagement. As part
of an increasingly comprehensive response to HIV, HEAIDS implements a number of programmes and projects in
partnership with a wide range of public and private role players. Programme elements include:
 The First Things FIRST (HIV/STIs/TB) counselling and testing prorgamme.
 HEAIDS Men’s Health Programme, a masculinities programme that includes Medical Male Circumcision. It is
promoted as part of a healthy sex life that includes being faithful to a single partner, avoiding alcohol abuse, and
wearing condoms.
 HEAIDS Women’s Health Programme, an advocacy and mobilisation campaign that addresses gender inequalities
that drive HIV risk, like gender-based violence and transactional sex.
 A primary prevention response to HEAIDS Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Programme provides education
as alcohol and drugs are identified as HIV risk factors. Therefore HEAIDS new package of services provides
professional assistance to those needing it.
 A programme to develop an enabling environment on campuses and provide access to HIV prevention, care and
treatment services for men who have sex with men and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and inter-sexed
individuals on campuses-LGBTI Programme
 A campus radio pilot that is aimed at developing compelling programming around HIV/AIDS and related topics
like gender violence, substance abuse, human rights and social justice.
 HEAIDS Curriculum Programme is tailor made to strengthen HIV in the curriculum as key in the higher
education sector and core mandate for HEAIDS.