NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 916
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18 March 2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 8)
Mr M Waters (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether any measures are in place with regard to HIV testing at
schools to ensure (a) proper pre and post testing counselling and (b)
counselling of parents of HIV positive children;
(2) whether any additional staff are to be employed to ensure that pre
and post testing counselling is implemented; if not, who will be
responsible for implementing the (a) testing and (b) counselling; if
so, (i) how many new staff members are to be employed, (ii) in what
positions and (iii) who will be responsible for their salaries;
(3) what is the total cost of the HIV testing at schools campaign?
NW1033E
REPLY:
I wish to thank the Honourable Member for this very important question
regarding the issue of HIV and AIDS in our schools. This issue affects the
present as well as the future of our country.
A decision has been taken that there shall be no stand-alone HCT (HIV
Counselling and Testing) in schools as it is done in other sectors. Rather,
the HCT in schools shall be part of an overall school health programme that
will not be once off but a permanent feature of schools. This school health
programme is being planned by a broad range of stakeholders â universities,
NGOs, professional bodies, childrenâs sector of SANAC, the Department of
Health, the Department of Basic Education, the Department of Social
Development and many other organisations with experience and various issues
affecting children.
When such a programme is ready, it will be officially launched by both the
Ministers of Health and of Basic Education. At that moment, the Honourable
Member shall be furnished with further details
END.