The Department of Labour and HIV/Aids

In a recent article in the Citizen, it was reported that 88% of the staff in the Labour Department are healthy. While that is all good and well, I was shocked to find out about some of the results that were obtained in a recent investigation by the Public Service Commission to determine how HIV/Aids was being managed in the public sector. It was found that 40% of the public officials were at very high risk of contracting the virus, due to their behaviour and limited knowledge of the disease.

In addition to that, 48% of civil servants in Mpumalanga and 49% in Gauteng, believed that HIV/Aids could be cured. If this is the perception of public officials, I am scared to even find out what the rest of the population thinks about HIV/Aids. What happened to educating people about the dangers of HIV/Aids, that anti-retrovirals do not cure it, they merely delay its onset?

But it’s no wonder really, that this is what a lot of people believe about the deadly disease. Especially when we have a president that makes stupid comments about HIV not causing Aids, and then the Minister of Health stating that in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle with the HIV virus, you must live on potatoes and onions. Yes, potatoes and onions. Then you should be fine.

Fair enough, the government is conducting several AIDS awareness campaigns to educate its employees, with prevention being the focus. But is it enough? And are they able to reach all areas, especially the rural areas, where this sort of awareness is most needed? Somehow I don’t think so. I just hope they are all at least taking a shower.