Anne Eveleth
South Africa’s first 24-hour Aids care centre has=20 opened in Durban, marking the culmination of five=20 months of determined effort by a dozen people whose=20 lives have been directly affected by the virus.
The Durban Aids Care Centre aims to provide a “friendly=20 service” to the Aids and HIV community — and hopes to=20 inspire wider community participation in combating the=20
Centre chairman Edward Higgs — a former Johannesburg=20 supermarket manager, who decided to get involved after=20 losing “a lot of friends and one family member to Aids”=20 — says the centre’s philosophy is that “Aids sufferers=20 don’t just need a counsellor — they also need a=20 friend. We want people to know there are friends out=20 there who do, in fact, care.”=20
The centre offers round-the-clock counselling services=20 for people with Aids and HIV, and their friends and=20 families; free counselling courses for anyone=20 interested in getting involved with Aids prevention and=20 awareness in their communities; pre and post-HIV test=20 counselling; condom distribution; medical referrals and=20 information on other Aids care facilities.
While a number of Aids care services already exist,=20 they are “overloaded, with 600 people a day being=20 diagnosed this year, compared to only 250 per day last=20 year … The other problem is that most centres are=20 only open between 8am and 4pm and there’s nobody to=20 talk to after hours.” In the longer term, the centre=20 hopes to form a social group for the Aids community,=20 organise outings and provide a place where people can=20
While the centre is still raising funds — and hoping=20 the government will help out — Higgs said the initial=20 response from the community had been “very good”. =20
“The new government has done a lot for Aids and the new=20 health budget reflects that. But businesses have also=20 responded positively — there is a growing realisation=20 that the economy is also affected by Aids and they need=20 to do something,” he said.
The Centre is located on the 8th Floor, HL Maharaj=20 Building, corner of Point Rd and Pickering Street,=20 Durban — across from The Wheel. Counsellors can be=20 seen at the centre or called on (031) 313-3353.