On Monday, 4 December 2023, South Africa’s biggest self-administered medical scheme, Bestmed, hosted a webinar in collaboration with the North-West University (NWU) as part of their Tempo health and wellness programme.
The aim of the event, according to Ms Bonita Maboeta, senior wellness specialist at the NWU, was to raise awareness of and overcome the stigma surrounding the human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS).
“We want people to understand that this is treatable disease, and with good treatment and care people can live long and healthy lives.”
With communities leading from the front in the battle against HIV, they continue to be key players in the prevention, testing, treatment and care of the disease.
According to the latest reports from Thembisa, the leading mathematical model of HIV in South Africa, the number of people living with the disease is anticipated to rise in the coming years.
Wilmarie Joubert, Refiloe Latha and Cecilia van der Sijde were the guest speakers. Yolande Godlo and Palesa Makhutle completed the panel of experts – all from Bestmed – who are knowledgeable on the subject.
Delivering the keynote address, Tiny Pietersen, an HIV activist from One Stop Wellness, spoke on the importance of getting assessed for HIV, and highlighted what individuals can do if they are infected.
She said: “Knowing your status can enable you to start treatment promptly, potentially prolonging your life for many years. If you know you are infected, you can take all the necessary precautions to prevent spreading the disease to others.”
She continued that it is vital to do routine and annual health checks, and urged individuals who are living with the disease to register with their medical aid for an HIV/AIDS chronic management programme. The programme will cover costs relating to all HIV/AIDS treatment and monitoring.
“Let us stop the spread of HIV,” she added. “Talking openly about the disease can help normalise the subject, and conversations of this kind provide opportunities to correct misconceptions and this helps others to learn more about the disease.”
Prevention of the disease
There are medicines and medical devices to help prevent HIV from spreading, and this includes antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and oral PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
In addition, ARVs can be used to prevent mothers from passing HIV on to their children, and individuals taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) and those who have no evidence of the virus in their blood will not pass HIV on to their sexual partners.
HIV is preventable and individuals can reduce the risk of infection by:
· Using a male or female condom during sexual intercourse
· Being tested for HIV and sexually transmitted infections
· Having a voluntary medical male circumcision
Where to get tested
Staff and students across all three campuses are advised to test for HIV during wellness days hosted by the NWU, and at the following venues:
· Building B6, on the Mahikeng Campus
· Building 25 on the Vanderbijlpark Campus
· Building E14 on the Potchefstroom Campus from Monday to Thursday
· Dis-Chem, Clicks and government clinics
For free confidential counselling at the NWU, contact:
Kehumile Katametsi: wellness specialist at the Mahikeng Campus (018 389 2210/ kehumile.katametsi@nwu.ac.za)
Bonita Maboeta: senior wellness specialist at the Potchefstroom Campus (018 285 2133/ 12579513@nwu.ac.za)
Genevieve Poodhun: employee wellness specialist at the Vanderbijlpark Campus (016 910 3295/ 35236299@nwu.ac.za)
If you want to live your best life, visit https://www.bestmed.co.za/resources/articles/health-and-wellness to learn more about the nutrition, fitness and emotional well-being programmes Bestmed offers.
