Men are known to be reluctant to visit health care facilities, so the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation brought their services to them during an HIV testing drive in Philippi.
The initiative a fortnight ago, was aimed at bringing health services to the men in an effort to urge them to know their status. But most importantly, the drive had been aimed at encouraging men to practice safe sex and live a healthy lifestyle.
The foundation brought its Amajita Tutu Truck, which targets young men who tend to avoid health clinics where there is often a long wait for an HIV test. The truck is equipped to provide mobile wellness and HIV testing services. The outreach is specifically to the 15 to 35-year age group who are at high risk of HIV infection.
The organisation said it felt the urge and need to create a platform for men so that they could feel free to test and engage about any health-related matters, as well as to eradicate any negative perceptions about HIV and knowing your status.
Project co-ordinator, Ndumiso Madubela, said the core aim was to educate men about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle so that they could avoid contracting diseases that could have been prevented.
He said they also wanted to dismiss and dismantle the stigma that was still associated with HIV and other illnesses.
Mr Madubela said they wanted men to be at the forefront in taking care of their health and also to urge others to know their status and well-being.
Mr Madubela said they wanted to create men who were not afraid of talking openly about health matters and willing to engage about it. He said often they only go to the clinic when they are critically ill and at that point there was little to nothing that doctors could do.
He said they hoped such interventions would enable men to visit clinics on a regular basis.
Mr Madubela said they wanted a society that talks freely about health issues and advises each other about various ways of leading a positive lifestyle. He said it was up to them to change men’s attitude to attending health facilities.
He said they wanted men to be bold about their health so that they do not put the health of their partners or spouses at risk. “ We want men to take control of their well-being. We want young men to know their status. We bring health services which are centred for them. We want them to feel free to test for HIV.
“ We want to build a society where young men are living healthy lifestyles,” he said.
Resident Msindisi Magcantsu said this step taken by the foundation was the right thing to do. He said the reality was that a number of young men were reluctant to go for HIV testing and drives like these give them a platform to learn more about their health. He said he frequently tests for HIV but said this kind of platform was much better than having to go to the clinic and wait in long queues.
Another young man, Themba Zwane, said he feels great that he tested for HIV and got additional information on how to live a healthy lifestyle.