09 Jul 2015

HIV/AIDS epidemic remains one of the challenges to global public health. 


As a result, the youth took government initiatives of reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS more seriously, Mahalapye Tebelopele Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre manager, Mr Mothusi Modibedi, has said. 


In an Interview recently, Mr Modibedi said the majority of their clients in Mahalapye as well as surrounding villages were young people.


He said the way the youth responds towards testing for HIV is very impressive and some of them come with their partners for testing and counseling.


“Moreover in the past years, they have registered the steady increase of people in particular young people to be tested and counseled”, Mr Modibedi said.

He attributed this increase to the outreach programmes they organised to distribute health education materials and condoms.


He said after testing and counseling they refer them to services such as the government’s men circumcision, prevention from mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and cervical screening. 
Counselors at the Centre offer free HIV/AIDS counseling with necessary information they needed regarding this epidemic.


This exercise has contributed to HIV/AIDS prevention by giving hope to those who tested negative and equipping those who were positive with an ability to cope. Ends