Effect of US funding cuts on HIV programmes
JOHANNESBURG - The health minister promises South Africans, that the country's HIV programme will not collapse despite funding cuts.
Professor Salim Abdool Karim is the Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa.
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The South African
10 hours ago
- The South African
‘We have dreams': SA youth with intellectual disability seek jobs
Youth with intellectual disability face steep barriers to employment and support in South Africa. Yet, they are often forgotten in public discussions about unemployment. ADVERTISEMENT Having an intellectual disability (ID) limits a person's ability to learn and execute daily tasks. Roughly 4% of South Africans are affected by some level of ID, ranging from mild to profound. According to the South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH), ID continues to be one of the most overlooked disabilities in the country. While there are some opportunities available, people with ID want more support. Stigma makes having a disability 'not nice' Weekdays from 8am until 5pm, 28-year-old Zintle Sophangisa handles fabric that will become pants and jackets, and marks out where the pockets will be sewn. A fashionista from Nyanga in Cape Town, she is saving for a sewing machine, dreaming of starting her own clothing label. However, arriving at this period of hope was a gruelling journey. Zintle's mild intellectual disability means she struggles to read and write. She often forgets things, like her bank PIN. ADVERTISEMENT Situations where other people are impatient (like in the queue for the ATM) heighten her anxiety and depression. She tells The South African: 'It's not nice to have a disability because of the judgment.' South Africa has an Inclusive Education policy, but many children with disabilities are still not adequately supported in schools. Zintle recalls being endlessly teased at school because of her disability. Between that and struggling with academics, she left school during Grade 9. Overcoming isolation in protective workshops However, almost ten years later, Zintle was a mother, keen to earn a living. After hearing that local mental health organisation Cape Mental Health supported people with ID, she enrolled in their Training Unlimited Workshop (TWU) in early 2024. In this protective workshop, people with disabilities can earn an income through tasks like beading or recycling metal. Trainees also learn work skills and how to cope with their disabilities. Support measures for people with mild intellectual disability include: Easy-to-Read , a system of symbols and simplified text, assists Zintle in understanding documents. , a system of symbols and simplified text, assists Zintle in understanding documents. Voice-enabled apps help Zintle keep a diary and a to-do list. help Zintle keep a diary and a to-do list. Voice notes on messaging apps allow Zintle to communicate without reading or writing. Zintle now finds it easier to explain her disability and ask for support. She also feels a stronger sense of belonging. Supported employment: Hope for youth with intellectual disability? Persons with disabilities have a constitutional right to employment. However, a 2023 research paper indicates that most are jobless. Also, increased learnership enrollments have not improved employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Samantha Hendricks, Zintle's job coach at TWU Athlone, says employers are reluctant to hire people with disabilities. In 2024, 12 workshop trainees were placed in jobs. Of 171 trainees at TWU Athlone this year, she's placed eight so far by engaging with 12 employers. 'People think that we are lazy,' Zintle explains. However, with government funding, she completed a sewing course in 2024, which led to her current job in supported employment. The 2016 White Paper on Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines supported employment as ongoing support, including job coaching, in integrated work settings. For Zintle, it also means her supervisor encouraging her to take breaks when she is very anxious. Jobs for youth with intellectual disability are 'elusive' Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Jomo Sibiya recently told Parliament that enforcing disability-related provisions of the Employment Equity Act is key. 13 state-run factories also employ over 1000 people with disabilities, aiming to reach 3000 by 2030. However, Michel'le Donnelly, communications and awareness lead at SAFMH, which represents mental health organisations like Cape Mental Health, says: 'Employment in the open-labour market remains elusive for youth with ID.' SAFMH recognises that the general youth unemployment rate of 46.1% makes it harder for youth with ID to find work outside protective workshops. However, it wants government to do more to encourage supported employment in the private sector. Following dreams starts with support systems The government disability grant tangibly supports over 1 million people. But Zintle stresses that the grant is not the answer: 'We can't just apply for SASSA. No, we have dreams.' Zintle dreams of compiling her memoir and employing others with ID in her future fashion business. She encourages others with disabilities to seek support: 'It's hard for us to tell people that we want something, especially when you don't get the support, but people must try to speak out. Say, 'I want to do this. Can you support me to do this thing?'' What should be done to include youth with intellectual disabilities? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
12 hours ago
- The Citizen
Health outreach campaign targets men and youth in Alexandra
Region E health and youth sector launched a mobile health outreach campaign at Kwabhekilanga Sports Ground on June 20. It brought vital services like HIV testing and counselling, TB screening, family planning, and health education to the community. The campaign aimed to reach those least likely to set foot in a clinic, including young people, but despite the visibility and intent, attendance from the primary target was underwhelming. Read more: Efforts to mobilise men against GBV and spread of HIV continue 'We expected a little bit more youth, but even though we did not see more of them, they did show up. Also, we just wanted the community around the area, especially children, because we know they are no longer going to school,' multisectoral co-ordinator in Region E Lerato Malemela shared. Malemela reflected on the country's 'Close The Gap' campaign, which seeks to shrink the HIV treatment gap by bringing 1.1 million people into treatment. She said the outreach is part of Region E health's efforts to reduce that gap. At the launch of the HIV treatment Gap campaign in Soweto on February 25, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed that men remain behind in taking HIV/Aids treatment, noting that the gap is mostly comprised of men. Since then, the Father a Nation (FAN) organisation in Alexandra has been engaging with men and encouraging them to close the gap. FAN member, the Stepping Tennis Foundation member, and co-organiser of the outreach campaign Sibusiso Shongwe said the campaign was intended to focus on that demographic of men. 'So, what we have seen at the FAN men's forum is that men are afraid to go to the health facilities. They are scared of queuing at the clinics. Here, there are no queues, they just walk in, receive services, and leave. That is why we decided that we should bring the clinic to them.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
18 hours ago
- The Citizen
Health department urges 21 000 missing HIV/Aids patients to come forward
About 21 000 HIV/Aids patients in Mpumalanga have disappearing without a trace. HIV/Aids patients who have stopped taking their treatment and disappeared without a trace have been urged to come forward and get assistance to prevent the spread of the virus. This comes after it was recently revealed that more than 20 000 patients who tested positive in Mpumalanga discontinued treatment and disappeared without a trace. Health Department tries to find missing HIV patients Speaking to The Citizen on Friday, Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale said: 'There are many people who tested positive for HIV, but never continue with lifesaving ARVs, hence we have recently launched a campaign to find 1.1 million of them and put them in treatment by 31 December 2025. 'I can confirm that so far, we have already reached 520 700 and initiated treatment, which includes women, men and children. This is more than 50% of the target we set ourselves to reach by the end of the year.' ALSO READ: Mpumalanga silent on 21 000 missing HIV patients Be that as it may, Mohale said the campaign was not solely about finding the missing HIV patients. Still, the country's efforts to reach a target of 95% of HIV-positive people knowing their status includes putting those infected on treatment to avoid further infection. Why patients stop their HIV/Aids treatment Addressing the problem last year, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) said some of the patients discontinued their treatment because they were annoyed that they had to collect their medication every three months, instead of being given medication for six months. Some patients also blamed the clinics. 'Many have started on treatment and then stopped because of the poor conditions and unwelcoming environment in clinics,' said the TAC's Morongwa Ntini. ALSO READ: Groundbreaking HIV trial shows patients can control virus without ART Ntini said offering a six-month plan will motivate patients to stay on treatment as there will be no need for them to visit clinics as often, while the clinic staff will not have to deal with long queues. In Mpumalanga, it recently transpired that more than 20,000 patients who tested positive discontinued treatment and disappeared without a trace.
