04th September 2015
Civil Society ongoing HIV Test and Treat Campaign
Perseverance Community
Following the success of the HIV test and Treat Campaign in Roche Caiman community from March to May this year, the Social, Health and Education Commission of Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (CEPS) is now pursuing its campaign to the Ile Perseverance community which kicks off on Saturday 5th September 2015 from 11am to 3pm at Perseverance 2. ASFF and HASO, two member organizations of the Commiss…ion are teaming up once again to provide home to home testing to Perseverance Community. The campaign at Roche Caiman was a pilot project from March to May 2015 and a total of 183 residents were tested.
It is to be noted that on 1st December 2014 in commemoration of World AIDS Day, a National Test and Treat Campaign was officially launched in Seychelles by National AIDS Council and Ministry of Health whereby Civil Society pledged to support such campaign aiming at achieving the 90-90-90 targets of the global “Getting to Zero” HIV AIDS Campaign by UNAIDS. The 90-90-90 targets set by UNAIDS indicates that by 2020:
90% of all people living with HIV will know their status
90% of all people diagnosed with HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy
90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression
The campaign at Perseverance aims at raising awareness on HIV testing as well as having a large majority of residents of both Perseverance 1 and 2 between the age of 15 to 65 years to be tested, know their status and get those who are tested positive on treatment. Home to home testing will be done in both Perseverance 1 and 2 throughout the month of September on every Saturday from 11am till 3pm. A tent will be setup as the Central point for the project but will also be the place whereby residents will receive their test results.
The Epidemiological report 2014 from Ministry of Health indicates that the cumulative HIV cases from 1987 to 2014 is 667 however it is to be noted that from January to June 2015 a total of 41 new cases of HIV have been reported and 9 people have developed AIDS whilst 7 people have died of AIDS.
The Test and Treat Campaign of the Social, Health and Education Commission of CEPS intends to target most if not all the districts of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue and is ongoing for a period of 5 years ending 2020.
