Sasolburg, South Africa – 11 161 community members have been screened and tested in a HIV/AIDS and TB support programme Sasol is conducting in partnership with the Free State Department of Health and the Nurse-based Initiation of Antiretroviral Project (NIAP). The Sasol HIV/AIDS support programme sees TB and HIV testing and counselling rolled out in the Metsimaholo and Ngwathe Municipalities. The programme will run until end June 2016.

In November 2014, Sasol, together with government and other partners, committed to rollout programmes to reduce new HIV infections, improve access to treatment, as well as to increase protection and care of vulnerable groups, among other objectives.  

This programme, aligned with the UNAIDS 90/90/90 treatment target - 90% of people tested, 90% of people on treatment and 90% of people virally suppressed - supports government’s back-to-care approach where primary healthcare is taken to the community.

Testing villages are being set up in identified areas every week where community care-givers play an instrumental role in mobilising health care services directly to homes, specifically for the screening and testing of TB and HIV/AIDS.

Since commencing the programme on 1 April, the village has been operating out of Zamdela. In the following weeks, it will move to Deneysville, Oranjeville, Parys, Tumahole, Koppies and Holy Country.  

The project entails the screening, testing, counselling and referral for treatment; promoting testing and adherence to treatment; and supporting government in the capturing and storage of data for screened and tested patients.

The target for the Sasol HIV/AIDS support programme is to screen and test 10 000 people over the three month-long campaign. The NIAP mobile clinic is on standby for referrals. However, more serious cases are being referred to the local clinics for treatment.

To date, 11 161 community members have already been reached. Of them, 9 603 were screened and tested for TB, 3 330 for HIV/AIDS and 444 patients referred for treatment.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa launched an HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign in Secunda on 8 November 2014. On the same day, a pledge to collaborate on HIV/AIDS initiatives to support the achievement of the UNAIDS 90/90/90 target was signed between the Department of Health, South African National Aids Council and the South African Business Coalition on Health and Aids, of which Sasol is a signatory.  

“Sasol supports health in our communities,” said Vusi Cwane, Vice President: Public Affairs for Sasolburg Operations.  “Four clinics in Zamdela have been upgraded and expanded. Two clinics, namely Harry Gwala and Thusanang are in the process of being completed. We have increased access to healthcare services in our communities with the donation of a mobile clinic to the Department of Health, as well as to NIAP,” concluded Cwane.