In an effort to give back to the community, fourth-year medical students from the University of Cape Town hosted a tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS awareness event at the Love Life Centre in Langa on Monday 20 April.
Healthcare workers equipped with new skills
The aim was to educate the community about the dangers of these diseases and equip them with new skills.
Among the organisations that attended the event were Khethimpilo, Nkwenkwezi, and Khaya Labantu.
The students were divided into two groups to focus on different aspects of awareness.
Speaking on behalf of the HIV/AIDS group, Carla Kruger described the event as very informative and fun.
She said they mainly engaged with healthcare workers, sharing ideas and strategies. She added that they focused on educating healthcare workers on how to better engage with and teach young people about HIV/AIDS.
Students tackle HIV misconceptions among youth
“The aim is to empower healthcare workers on how to deal with young people and change the misconceptions that people have about HIV/AIDS. Many young people don’t really take it seriously. Some have the misconception that if you sleep with a virgin, the virus will disappear or after you take a shower after sex,” said Kruger.
She also noted that stigma still exists, even though people are becoming more accustomed to discussing the disease.
TB treatment challenges highlighted
Madison Maud described TB as a contagious disease. She highlighted that food insecurity, lack of information, and stigma are some of the factors that lead TB patients to default on their treatment.
“Some people don’t take their treatment because they don’t have food. Others default because they are not well informed about the disease and its dangers. Some stop taking treatment because they are scared and concerned about what others will say about them,” explained Maud.
She encouraged people not to feel ashamed to seek help, including accessing soup kitchens when needed.
Community organisations support awareness efforts
Khaya Labantu centre manager Tinotenda Mhungu described the event as beneficial for healthcare workers.
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“Gaining the skills and capacity to talk to young people and the community is amazing. We normally focus on patients and forget about their families. Now it goes beyond the patients,” said Mhungu. He praised the students for their efforts, saying they are bringing hope to the community.
